Sounds Like a Hero
by duaba
Summary: Neon never considered herself a hero. No one ever really did except one person and that person is the only thing that matters...And if that means Neon has to become a hero to help that person, then so be it. Sounds like a plan... OC x Todoroki
1. Nishiyama Neon: Origin

A/N: Yes, I should be updating my other stories and I am working on it. (HONEST!)

But when inspiration strikes...Just indulge me on this XD

* * *

 **Ch 1 - Neon: Origin**

"Wahhhhhh! Wahhhhh!"

The baby's cry cut right through the walls, through the labyrinth-like hallways and right into the grand dining room of the Nishiyama penthouse. One would think that the baby was the one with an audio-based Quirk in the family.

"Wahhhhh! Wahhhh!"

"Neon! Please do something about that. We are trying to eat here," said Nishiyama Enko, the matriarch of the prestigious family as she dipped her silver spoon into the hot soup and brought it to her lips, sipping ever so delicately as not to make a sound and not to smudge her lipstick.

"Yes, Mother," her daughter said. The eight year old dropped her spoon with a loud clang and pushed her chair back with unnecessary force so the chairs would make a loud scratching sound against the cold marble floor that she knew her parents loathed.

 _Screeeeeeee!_

"Neon!" Nishiyama Junichiro scolded. He glared at his daughter from the head of the table. Despite the fact that Neon took after him in physical appearance - the sharp cheekbones, the upturned brown eyes, and the small pointed nose - his middle child was like a complete stranger to him. He wished Neon would be more like her older brother, Koushi. He was just finishing up his first year in college and had given his parents practically no trouble since the day that he was born. Koushi had a useful Quirk, guaranteed to help extend the prestige and wealth of the Nishiyama family businesses for many years to come and, most importantly, a willingness to do so.

Neon, on the other hand…

Junichiro sighed. He could only hope that her attitude and defiance was only due to her age and that she will grow out of it soon.

"Sorry, Father," his daughter replied despite sounding otherwise and headed for the door.

"Wahhhhh! Wahhhh!"

"I didn't say you were dismissed from the table," Enko sighed, "Sit back down, Neon. Just use your Quirk so we can all have a nice, peaceful family dinner together. Let the nurses handle your sister. That's what we hired them to do."

"I'm full," Neon said without turning away from the door. Even so, she raised her right hand and snapped her fingers.

Immediately, a bubble appeared from the center of the room, encasing the dining table and those sitting around them. From her side of the bubble, Neon could still hear the cries but the relaxed shoulders of her father and the fact that her mother and brother returned to eating their second course let her know that her sound barrier was working perfectly.

"Wahhhhh! Wahhhh!"

The sound acted as an alarm, reminding Neon of the task at hand. She exited the dining room, knowing full well that she wasn't really in trouble for leaving without permission. Her parents valued their own well-being over everything else and having a peaceful dinner outweighed Neon's defiance and her presence at the table.

Neon went straight to her baby sister's room. When she entered the nursery, all the nurses greeted her with relieved smiles.

"Ojou-san. Thank goodness you're here," the head nurse said, an elderly lady with a white apron covering her grey dress. She handed the tiny baby to Neon and the cries immediately stopped when the baby's eyes connected with her sister's.

The baby gurgled a little laugh and then reached out to grab a long strand of her sister's black hair.

"It's okay, Akia-chan!" Neon cooed softly as she bounded the baby gently in her arms, "I'm here...Nee-chan is here…"

-6 years later-

" _Don't you want me, baby? / Don't you want me? Ooooooh! / Don't you want me-"_

Neon yawned, moved her headphones off her ears, and sat back in her computer chair. She tilted the screen down from her laptop and stretched her arms over her head. As she did so, bubbles of all different shapes and sizes that originally hovered around her all moved up towards the ceiling as if stretching themselves.

 _Tick. Tick. Tick._

Her eyes moved over to the clock near her four-poster bed and she ran her hand through her hair. What was once long and black had turned short and blonde. To her father's dismay, Neon's defiance only grew with age and nothing was more pleasing to her than to see where her parents' limits were. Sporting a blunt bob with dyed red tips was her most recent experiment, which resulted in quite a favorable reaction for Neon.

"2:37 AM," she muttered out loud, "Shit...It's late…and I still haven't started schoolwork."

She moved the laptop away from a worksheet it had been resting on. " _Career and School Survey"_ titled the sheet with everything left blank except for Neon's name and class. There was nothing written for "School Targets", "Career Goals", and "Additional Notes". Neon rubbed her face and then brought her laptop back to its position. The listings of all the different concerts behind held that week in Japan flooded back up on the screen and Neon grinned. "Or...I could continue with this and...just ask for another extension. I can turn it in later...I hope. I mean...Entrance exams is months away anyways...Right? OR...I could put in UA - Hero Course again just to see Iida-kun blow a gasket again. Ha! That guy can't take a joke when it comes to hero stuff."

She sighed and swung her chair in a circle as she debated her choices. The bubbles around her moved along with it. Neon enjoyed the sound of the slight creak the chair made since the gears were slightly rusted. The house was so eerily quiet, especially at night, that any sound was welcomed and savored by Neon.

She missed the sounds of the city, as well as the perks and conveniences of living in one, but unfortunately, she agreed with her parents that moving to the middle of nowhere was the right move. It was for Akia's safety. After all, even though Akia hasn't fully developed her Quirk yet, it was still something they had to keep away from the outside world.

"Ahh! Nee-!"

Neon's head jerked in the direction of her sister's room. The cry was so muffled that an average person couldn't possibly have heard it but Neon wasn't an average person when it came to sound. She leapt out of her chair, letting it crash to the floor, and she ran to her sister's room, past the two armed guards stationed outside with a trail of bubbles following her.

"Akia!" Neon shouted as she kicked down the door before the guards could even react and then her face went pale when she saw the empty bed, three fallen guards on the floor, and the curtain fluttering from the opened window.

The guards glanced over the top of Neon's head and they sprang into action.

"RED ALERT! The Treasure has been taken. I repeat, the Treasure has been-" one of the guards started to say into the mic pinned to this lapel but then was stopped short when Neon grabbed him and yanked him towards her seething face.

"That is my SISTER. She's a person," she hissed before tossing him to the side and then snapped the fingers in her left hand while jabbing a finger against her throat with her right index finger.

"OY!," Neon thundered with her voice amplified to the point that the windows of the entire floor shattered at the first word, releasing her voice to the outside world louder and clearer than a sound system at a stadium concert, "EVERYONE, WAKE THE FUCK UP! AKIA HAS BEEN TAKEN. AKIA IS GONE! AKIA...I KNOW YOU CAN HEAR THIS...DON'T WORRY. NEE-CHAN IS COMING FOR YOU. YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO!"

Neon then flicked her hands forward and the bubbles behind her sailed out through the open window and dispersed throughout the estate.

Red lights began to turn off and off inside the mansion while outside fog lights began to sweep across the area but otherwise there was no other sound. Normally, there would be an alarm blaring to alert everyone but with Neon there, it would only prove to be hindrance.

Neon raced to the window and she jumped right on to the windowsill. She grabbed the window frame to steady herself as she leaned out as far as she could and closed her eyes. _Come on...Come on...Find her...Find her. Akia...Where are you?_

"Is she really gone?" Enko cried as she hurried into the room with the train of her silk, red robe flowing behind her. Her husband, in a matching blue robe, came in behind her with two revolvers in each of his hands.

"No, Mother. This was all a ploy to get you out of bed," Neon muttered sarcastically, "Now shut up. I'm trying to find Akia."

Enko let out a small gasp and she took a step back from her child but she bit her tongue. She will let this little outburst fly for the sake of her youngest. After all, Akia's Quirk should not belong in anyone's hands but their family's.

 _Pop!_

" _Here I go again on my own / Goin' down the only road I've ever knooooown!"_

"THERE!" Neon said as she pointed her free hand in the direction of the song outburst, "Towards the western gate!"

"Ugh. What a horrible song. Is that really what people call music?" Enko asked with a wrinkle of her nose.

"Not now, Mother!" Neon shouted exasperatedly.

"A sound bubble has burst near the western gate. All teams move to the western gate!" the guard shouted into his mic while Neon reached her hand back to her mother.

"Oy! Mother! A little help?" Neon asked.

Enko sighed. "Oh, Neon. Just let the guards get her back. It would be unsightly for you to be running around out there with-"

"Do it, Enko," Junichiro said gruffly, "We need to get Akia back. No matter what it takes. Go, Neon! And I'll alert the hero agencies!"

"Thanks...I think," Neon said as Enko hesitantly stretched out her hand and touched her fingers to Neon's palm. Immediately on contact, Neon's heart started to race and everything within her seemed to fire on all cylinders,.

"AKIA! I'm coming!" Neon shouted as she somersaulted out of the window and down to the gardens below. She caught onto a nearby tree branch at the last second and swung herself down the last few feet, landing safely on the grass. Without missing a beat, she sprinted for the gates. Her Mother's Enhancement Quirk could boost the physical and mental capacity of any human by 300% but it only lasted for 5 minutes so Neon could not waste any time.

 _Pop!_

" _Y'all gon' make me lose my mind! / Up in here! / Up in here!"_

Neon skidded to a halt and her head flicked towards the east gate.

"Shit! There must be more than one kidnapper and they split up!" Neon seethed as she dashed towards the east gate. She debated if she should amplify her voice to alert the guards but she didn't want to give the kidnappers a chance to change directions so she stayed silent. She could only pray that there was someone close enough to hear that besides her to let everyone else know.

She ran past her father's precious statue park and leapt over her mother's prized koi pond. She didn't even bother to run around the rose bushes and just charged right through them, her adrenaline enhanced enough for her not to feel the pain of sharp thorns tearing across her skin and clothes.

The iron doors of the east gate were bent open at an angle, showing signs of someone going through it with sheer force. The guards on each of side of the gates were hanging limply out of the guard tower but Neon didn't have time to check if they were alright. Akia didn't have time for that.

Neon raced through the east gate which led to forked road through a forest that stood between their estate and two other cities.

"Shit," Neon cursed and then brought her finger back to her throat. There was nothing else she could do now.

"AKIA!" Neon shouted as the trees swayed from her soundwave and the leaves fell to the ground, "WHERE ARE YOU?!"

"Shit! That sounded close! Do you think-"

"IDIOT! How many times do I have to tell you to stay quiet?! One of their kids has a sound-based Quirk!"

"Good enough," Neon said as she ran towards the voices down the road to her right. She couldn't ignore her fear as she ran though. If they knew about her Quirk, than they had done their homework in terms of this kidnapping. They didn't get through the guards and their security system just with physicality. They were prepared, which meant they were professionals.

 _Snap! Crunch! Crunch! Crunch!_

Neon thanked whichever deity was watching for the big break. The kidnappers could've ran along the road but that would've made it easier for them to be seen so they chose to run along the forest ground. There was no way they could run without creating noise.

Neon snapped her fingers, creating a sound bubble around her feet, masking any noise of her own running as she closed in on the kidnappers. When she saw a group of shadows in the distance, Neon jumped up against a nearby tree, digging her feet against the side of the trunk, and then pushed herself up into the branches. She leapt from branch to branch as she got closer and closer to the shadows with the only signs of her presence the handful of leaves that fell from her footsteps.

 _Two more minutes and then Mother's Enhancement wears off…_ Neon thought to herself as she broke off a thick branch about the size of her own arm and flung it as far as she could in front of her and the kidnappers.

 _Thud!_

The kidnappers stopped in their tracks, staring up ahead, giving Neon the chance to close in. As she did so, her throat tightened. Because of the voices, she had thought there were only two kidnappers but there were three. One was significantly larger than the rest, which could explain the dent in the gate. Neon cautiously climbed towards them and stopped when she was hovering over them on a tree branch. Her eyes never left them as she slowly took out her phone from her pocket.

One of the kidnappers was a large man with a rubber tiger mask over his head. He had a black sack over his shoulder, which Neon could only assume contained Akia. The other two were about average in terms of build and stature. One had on a black ski mask and the other a red and white luchador mask.

"What should we do, Kazuki?" the man in the black mask squeaked.

"I told you not to use my real name!" the man in the red and white luchador mask hissed and Neon couldn't help but gasp at the familiar voice. Even if she didn't recognize the name, she never forgot a voice and it was not lost on her.

Unfortunately, nor was her own noise.

The man in the tiger mask looked up in her direction and even through the many levels of branches between them, their eyes still managed to lock. Before Neon could react, he leapt into the air like a rocket and grabbed the branch she was on with one claw-like hand. It snapped easily under his weight and sent her tumbling down onto the floor.

 _Thud._

"Ooof," Neon gasped as her back slammed onto the foliage, feeling a sickening crunch in her right leg and the three men crowded around her.

"Should we kill her?" the man in the tiger mask asked, revealing a nasally and high pitched voice Neon did not expect from a guy of his size.

"Let Akia go…" Neon groaned as she propped herself up by the elbows, ignoring the unmistakable sight of bone poking out from shin,, "If..If it's money you want, take me...Hold me for ransom. Let Akia go."

"Tch. Tch. Tch," the man in the luchador mask clucked as he knelt down so Neon could see the coldness in his black, beady eyes, "I thought of all people in the Nishiyama family, you would give me more credit then that, Ojou-san."

"You're...You're the driver we used to have before we moved here," Neon said, "I remember you... You-"

"I was _fired_ without reason by your father despite dedicating 10 whole years to your family. TEN!" Kazuki snarled, "And what do I get out of it? 1 month's severance pay. That's it? 1 month for 10 years?!"

"You think you're the only disgruntled employee? Take a number," Neon scoffed, "File a lawsuit. I'm sure there's already several out there that you can get on. Why endanger a child? Akia has done nothing wrong!"

"That may be true but she will be far more lucrative to me than any settlement I can get out of your father," Kazuki said, "And...not just that...I know what kind of character your father is...Taking his precious cash cow away from him would be more painful to him than any amount of money I can get."

"So you figured out Akia's Quirk...Even though we took all the precautions to make sure no one knew…Including your dismissal and hiring an entirely new and scaled down staff," Neon snorted, "I should tell Koushi. He'll be devastated by this oversight. It would make for a great graduation gift."

"Ah…It took awhile but I figured it out, despite all of your efforts," Kazuki said, "And...once I did I realized that she is the severance pay I deserve."

"You're just as bad as my family," Neon snarled, "Cash cow...Treasure...It's all the same to you and him. Akia's more than just her Quirk. She's more precious than any diamond she could ever make!"

"What?!" Tiger Mask cried.

"Oy! Oy! Oy!" the man in the black ski mask said as he took a step towards Kazuki, "That's what her Quirk is? This brat can make diamonds?! You never told us that part of the plan! You just said we'd get multiple ransom payments from her family!"

"I...uh...I...uh…," Kazuki stammered.

"You of all people should know the importance of keeping your employees happy," Neon scoffed as she shakily got herself up and hopped on her good leg while blood dripped down her right foot, "What did you promise them? 20% of each ransom payment?"

"30% each," Tiger Mask said.

"You're a terrible businessman," Neon chided, "I would've given them 25% each."

 _Thwack!_

"ENOUGH!" Kazuki said as he backpacked Neon hard across the face, sending her flying to the ground, "I will not be spoken to that way. Especially by someone like you. You, who were lucky enough to be born into a life that you could have everything you could possibly one. You, who never has to work a day in your life. You, who-"

"I get it. I got lucky in a big way because of my name," Neon said as she shakily pushed herself off of the ground. Despite her pain, Neon got to her feet and crossed her hands over her chest. With only seconds away from her mother's enhancement, that this was the only thing she could think of to do and she knew this was the best plan she was ever going to come up with. Her sound bubbles came racing towards her from all different directions and collected around her body like she was clad in bubble wrap.

"You guys popped a bubble earlier...You know how loud one can get...Imagine how loud it'll be if all 323 go off at once," Neon said as she felt the effects of her mother's Quirk wear off, leaving her with nothing but the feeling of fatigue and hunger.

"Three hundred and-" Kazuki gasped and Neon smirked.

"Since it's too dangerous for Akia to go out into the world, I've been busy recording and bringing the world to her. I've recorded everything from live concerts to the sounds of a large waterfall hitting up against the rocks. Let her go and I won't detonate my bubbles. I should tell you that it's not just sound that you should be worried about...Even I won't be safe from the soundwaves that will burst from these bubbles," Neon said, "I have no idea how much force all of these combined will be and what damage they will do."

"You're going to endanger even your own sister?!" Kazuki demanded.

"Better to hurt her now than to let her go into a life of of god knows what with you all!" Neon spat, "Now give her to me!"

"Or...we go with Plan C," the man in the ski mask said.

"Plan C?" both Neon and Kazuki asked simultaneously.

 _Bang!_

"Gah!" Kazuki screamed as a bullet shot out from a gun in the ski mask's hand and tore through his calf. The former driver fell to the ground and howled in pain.

"What?" Neon gasped.

"Make a noise. It doesn't matter," the man in the ski mask said, "We'll be up and gone before anybody gets here and we'll just let this fool take the blame."

"You...I'll tell them everything about you! Everything! You won't get away with this," Kazuki snarled.

"You really think we gave you our real names?" the man in the ski mask laughed and Kazuki's eyes widened, "That child is right. You are a terrible businessman and terrible businessmen should not be making deals with criminals."

Then the man in the ski mask turned to Neon and when their eyes met, her whole body started to tremble with fright.

 _So this is what a villain looks like. A true bad guy…_

"Drop your bubbles...It's useless to us," the ski-masked man said.

"B-but...But the shockwave-" Neon started to say but even her own words sounded flat in her ears.

"Useless…" the man repeated and put his hands on the floor. Immediately, a thick metal wall erupted from the ground, separating Neon from her sister and her captors and stretched as far as Neon could see in either direction.

"No!" Neon said as she uncrossed her arms and hobbled towards the wall.

"Sorry, girly. You lose!" the ski-masked man sang out from the wall as she beat her fists against it.

"NO! NO! NO! AKIA! AKIA!" Neon screamed as her bubbles flew up against the wall and burst into a huge cacophony of sound. Guitar riffs mixed with several different cheering crowds, cymbal crashes, fog horns, the booms of thunder, and everything sound imaginable came together in one loud and fantastic blast and sent Neon flying back away from the wall that only received a slight dent from the sound. A tree stopped Neon from going any further and her back slammed hard against the trunk, which splintered from the other side.

She fell to the ground like a rag doll and her mind felt just as lifeless as tears pooled out from her eyes. She didn't know what happened to Kazuki nor could she bring herself up to care.

"Akia...Nee-chan...is sorry...Nee-chan...failed…," Neon whispered as she blacked out.

"SEXY STOMP!"

 _Boom!_

A strong gust of wind broke through just as giant purple boots stomped down on the metal wall, crushing it into nothing and sending leaves and debris flying right at Neon, who woke up from the the loud racket. She didn't know how long she had been asleep and it took her a moment for her to even remember where she was. She could only flinch and close her eyes, too weak to even cover her face. As she slowly opened up her eyes again, she saw the boots standing in front of her but this time they were normal sized and they were worn by a human sized lady. Neon's tears fell once again but this time with relief.

"Hello! Does this girl belong to you?" asked a beautiful lady with creamy long hair. She held the man in the ski mask and tiger masked man by their collars with the other. Both seemed to have been knocked unconscious.

"There's...another one out there...Kazuki…He's wearing a red and white wrestling mask," Neon heard herself say and looked incredulously at this woman, "Who-Who are you?"

"Good to know. I'll go look for him," the lady said and then she jutted out a hip and gave Neon a wink, "I'm Mt. Lady. I just debuted not too long ago. Pleasure to meet your ass-quaintance. You know, if it wasn't for that racket earlier, I wouldn't have known to come in this direction. This forest is so big and dark! What was that noise anyway? It sounded like a Monster Truck Show collided with the Olympics."

"A-Ah…That was me..." Neon said as she looked at the broken wall behind them, "I guess..my Quirk was good for something."

"If it wasn't for your Quirk, I wouldn't have come in this direction," Mt Lady replied, "If anything, that means you've saved this little girl's life. That makes your Quirk good enough for a hero."

"Hero?" Neon scoffed, "I'm no hero."

"She'll probably see you as one," Mt. Lady said with a nod to Akia, who stirred in her sleep and then her eyes slowly opened up.

"Nee-...Nee-chan?" Akia whispered and then her eyes widened and she shined a smile more dazzling than any diamond Neon had ever seen her make, "I knew it! You saved me! You saved me!"

"I didn't-," Neon started to protest but then her words were cut short as Akia's hands flung around Neon's neck and squeezed the breath right out of her, "GAH! TOO HARD, AKIA! TOO HARD!"

"I knew you'd save me!" Akia laughed as she pulled back and beamed at her sister.

"LIke I said. I didn't!" Neon said, "It was all-"

She looked over at nothing but the broken wall and not just the two but all three kidnappers tied up together and hanging from the branch of a nearby tree.

"When did she even do that?!" Neon demanded.

"Who? Do what?" Akia asked, "What's going on?"

Neon sighed and a begrudging smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "I think...Iida-kun is going to be really mad at me…"


	2. Sounds Like an Exam I

**Ch 2 - Sounds Like An Exam I**

"And to solve for x, we use the formula here to-"

 _Bam!_

The door to the 3rd year's classroom slammed open by the base of Neon's crutch and she hobbled right over to the middle seat in the front row with her bubbles following behind her in a small cluster. She ignored the gasps from her classmates at the cast on her legs and the scratches and bruises that her black hoodie and jeans couldn't cover. She even ignored the blustering from the teacher behind her. To be honest she wasn't sure if it was her homeroom teacher talking or someone else. She didn't even know what class it was. She never really paid attention to who was really was doing the talking. It was all in the textbooks and she finished those a long time ago.

It didn't matter anyways because she wasn't here to take whatever class this was. There was something else she needed to learn.

"Iida-kun, I'm going to apply to the hero course at UA," Neon said, "And I'm not joking this time."

The room fell into a silence before everyone erupted into laughter while Tenya's eyes narrowed at her.

"Oy! Nishiyama! It's bad enough you come in 4 hours late and not even in uniform but to come in just to tease Iida like that-," the teacher behind started to say but then Neon snapped her fingers without looking back at him and his voice was drowned out by the sound bubble that appeared around his head, which made his natural, shiny spherical head shape stand out even more.

"Gah! So noisy!," Neon said as she stared right into the boy's eyes, "So...will you help me?"

"Nishiyama-san, using your Quirk is not allowed on school-" Tenya started to say but then the solemnity of Neon's expression gave him pause. The boy's frown intensified as he studied her quietly and stonily. The entire class waited for him to tear Neon a new one and lecture her into a comatose state the way they've seen him do thousands of times when she pulled one of her stunts but Neon knew better.

They had been in the same school and same class for almost their entire lives. She had never asked for his help before and he knew that. She would also not come into school like this and tell him this just because she felt like it. He knew that too.

* * *

 _\- Flashback: Neon & Tenya at 8 years old -_

"And then Nii-san ran out of the burning building just as it was about to collapsed carrying the last of the people left in there. He saved 5 people on his own!" Tenya shouted as he thrusted his hands up into the air while the group of fourth graders gathered around him clapped and cheered.

"Wow. Tenya-kun, that was great storytelling. What a wonderful presentation. It's clear your brother is an amazing hero. No wonder you are so proud of him," the teacher said, a young gentle woman who always managed to get any stains solely on her apron and nowhere else, "Now, then, class...What did you all think of his story?"

"Tenya-kun! Your brother is great! Ingenium for the win!" a little boy said.

"I love hero stories!" another girl said.

The teacher smiled warmly at the center of attention, who seemed to beam with pride at her words. Then the teacher looked down and put a gentle hand on the girl sitting at the back of the group with her headphones on while reading a book. It took a second for the girl to look up at her but when she finally did, the teacher moved her headphones away from her head. "You need to listen to your classmates presentation, Neon-chan. It's-"

"Don't call me Neon-chan!" Neon grumbled, "We're not close! It sounds weird coming from you!"

"Ah...Okay...Well then...Nishiyama-chan..." the teacher tried again, "It's rude not to pay attention especially when everyone listened to your story."

"Yeah but I told a new story that no one has ever heard before..." Neon said and then pointed at the boy in the center of the circle, "I've already heard _that_ story. It was on the news just a couple days ago. Why I do need to hear it again?"

"Eh! So rude!" her classmates chided, "Ugh. Neon. She's so selfish. Sensei! Make her go sit in the time out chair."

Neon wrinkled her nose and covered her ears with her hands. "SO NOISY!" she screamed, "Gah! Why do we have to sit here and listen anyways to everyone speak? What is the point of this assignment?!"

"Nishiyama-chan! Please behave," the teacher protested as she started to move Neon's hands away from her ears.

"Nishiyama-san…"

Suddenly, Tenya was in front of Neon and looked at her patiently until she lowered her hands voluntarily. When she did, he jutted out his hands. "The point of this assignment was not to tell a new story. The point is for us to test our speaking skills in front of a big group of people...and for everyone listening...they need to think about the good and bad points of what they hear for their own improvement."

Everyone waited for Neon to throw another tantrum and to scream back at Tenya but that didn't happen. To everyone's shock, the girl casually placed her headphones at her feet, closed her book, and folded her hands over them to stare expectantly at the boy. "Oh! Got it! Do you want me to be honest then?"

"Yes, please," Tenya said.

"Well, I only heard the first part but I liked the...the...how to say this...the beat?...of how you spoke. It was nice and steady but...your sentences are long. REALLLLY long," Neon said as she stretched out her hands for indication, "It should be like a song. There should be a break every now and then...Sections. Lines..."

Tenya bowed his head. "Thank you for your opinion. I understand."

Neon smiled and gave a firm nod. "Happy to help."

Then she got to her feet. As she left to put the book back in it's space in the bookshelf, Tenya and the teacher caught each other's eye behind her back.

Tenya looked solemnly at the teacher. "Nishiyama-san gets mad when she has to do something without knowing why she has to do it."

"Oh...Now that you mention it…" the teacher said as she stared at the girl in a new light, "She does ask that question a lot in class...Thank you, Tenya-kun for pointing that out to me."

"Actually...Sensei...Could you please not call me Tenya-kun either?"

"Eh? NOT YOU, TOO?!"

* * *

 _-Present Day-_

"Why?" Tenya finally asked, which surprised even the teacher into silence.

"Because you have a better understanding of the process and what they will be looking for-," Neon started to say but Tenya shook his head.

"No. I wasn't asking why you needed my help. If you're going to do this, you will definitely need my help," he said, without hesitation and with a swift chop of his hands, "I'm asking you why the sudden change of heart? Why do you want to be a hero? I've told you before to not make a mockery of the hero course. There are thousands of students who see this as their dream and if you are doing it merely out of the whim of a bored heiress, you would be trampling on their determination and dedication."

 _Snap!_

Suddenly, a bubble appeared around Neon and Tenya, muting their voices so that the outside world couldn't hear.

"Okay. I'm going to totally level with you on this one. It's not that I want to be a hero...I really don't," Neon admitted, "But I have to. For Akia."

"Your sister?" Tenya asked and then he almost leapt out of his seat, "Did something happen to her again? Is that why you're in this state?!"

Neon nodded. "Ah. My father called your brother but another hero ended up stepping in and...It's a long story. The point is we both know Akia's Quirk...Right now she can only make tiny diamonds but it's only a matter of time before she gets the hang of it and that's gonna draw a lot of attention. My family is going to use as much money and power as they can do keep her Quirk unknown but there's a chance that word will get out...and then someone big and bad will want to get her. When that day comes, she's going to become an even bigger target and the guys coming after her are only going to get nastier. I don't want that for her. I want her to have a normal life. To be able to go outside instead of protected in the middle of nowhere...And I realized maybe I can do that if I become a hero."

"A hero's job is not just to protect one person," Tenya said sternly, "It is their duty to protect all citizens."

"Yes, I get that and I will take that on," Neon said, "One villain I put away is one less villain I'll have to worry about coming after Akia."

"But Nishiyama-san, being a hero-"

"Iida-kun...Please…," Neon said as she lowered her head, "I can't just stand by and do nothing...Last night was a close call and I watched Akia get taken right before my very eyes. I was too weak…This is the only way."

"...Fine."

Neon straightened up and she blinked at him. "So you'll help?!"

Tenya nodded. "Yes. What do you need to know?"

 _Snap!_

The bubble popped and a genuine smile stretched across Neon's face. "Excellent! Let's begin with the exam process. What will they be testing on?"

"NISHIYAMA NEON! TAKE YOUR SEAT NOW!" the teacher thundered and Neon flinched at the loud noise. She stuck her finger in one of her ear as she turned to him.

"Ah, shit. Guess I popped your bubble too," Neon said, "My mistake."

"Y-Your mistake?!" the teacher blustered, "You mean you meant to keep that thing around me longer?!"

"Well, you have a tendency to drone on and on and on about nothing," Neon said, "I was just sparing the rest of the class."

"I am trying to teach!" the teacher shouted and Neon sighed and tilted her head so she could see the question behind him.

"X is 37. This formula is so basic. Whoever hasn't gotten it by not will never get it...So what's the point of talking about it any more?," she said flatly and then raised her hand, "There. Class dismissed."

 _Snap! Pop!_

" _Schooool's out / For the summer!"_

The teacher's face went from red to purple. "PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE. NOW!"

* * *

 _-4 Months Later-_

"'UA High School Hero Course...Exam Orientation'...Yep...This is it..."

Even though Neon was just reading out loud the signage outside the meeting room, Tenya couldn't help but notice that it had the same inflection as one would read a death sentence. Was this really the same girl who came to him a few months ago and said she was serious as hell about becoming a hero?

He jutted out his hands and gave her a stern look. "Nishiyama-san, if you're having second thoughts, I will not blame you-"

 _Thwack!_

She swung out her hand and lightly backhanded his chest before pushing open one of the doors and waiting for him to enter first. "Shut up. I got to do this for Akia...and I won't waste all the help you and your family provided while I prepped for this either."

A corner of Tenya's lips turned upwards. This was as close to a verbal thank you he would ever get from Neon and he knew it.

Tenya gave a small nod of acknowledgement and then walked into the room.

It was a big tier-styled lecture room with a vast stage and screen at the front. There were over twenty rows of seats that faced the stage like a forum. They were quite early, due to Tenya's insistence, so there were only a handful of seats taken, most of them were near the back. This was why Neon was surprised that Tenya would forgo his usual seat choice of front and center and took a seat right in the middle of the middle row. She raised an eyebrow at him and he pointed at the stage.

"This way we'll be eye level and can see everything clearly and straight on," he said.

"Oh," was all Neon said as she took the seat next to him and leaned back in her chair to see how far it could go. Unfortunately, it wasn't very far so she lifted her feet and rested them on the desk so that she could get comfortable.

"Nishiyama-san! You should show some respect to-," Tenya started to protest but Neon already had her headphones on and her eyes closed while her thumb hovered over the "next" button on her phone screen.

It looked like she was sleeping but Tenya could tell by how her thumb was constantly tapping through her playlist that she was far from relaxed. In fact, she was preparing.

As more and more hero hopefuls entered the room, the noise level rose higher and higher and Neon's feet began to tap together and her brows furrowed. The more people, the faster her feet tapped until finally she had had enough. She swung her legs down and buried her head under her arms, mashing her headphones closer to her ears.

Tenya could hear her mutter "Don't use your Quirk here. Don't use your Quirk here. Don't use your Quirk here," over and over again under her sleeves and he felt a little proud that she was taking his suggestions to heart.

Finally the lights dimmed and a hush fell over the crowd. Tenya put a hand on Neon's shoulder and her head emerged from under her arms. It wasn't until someone came to the stage did Neon remove her headphones. The stage lights and screen flicked on and illuminated the presenter from all angles. A 3D rendering of the UA logo gleamed in gold on the screen while a skinny man with hair slicked straight back and up like a frozen blonde flame stood beneath the logo. He was clad almost entirely in leather and chains.

"For all you examinee listeners tuning in," he started to say and Neon's ears perked up, "Welcome to my show! Everybody say 'hey'!"

Nobody responded and for the first time since Neon had stepped into the room, it was absolutely silent. She raised an eyebrow.

 _I guess it takes more than just pretty words from the Voice Hero, Present Mic, to amp these people up…But to think that famous hero is an instructor at this school…They're really not messing around here._

"Well then, let me quickly present to you the rundown on the practical exam," Present Mic said with a touch less confidence as before, "Are you ready?!"

Still his question was met with silence and Neon was starting to feel bad for the guy. She moved her finger to her throat but then her hand was grabbed by Tenya. She looked to him and he shook his head.

"Right...Don't use my Quirk here..." she muttered.

"So cool! It's the Voice Hero, Present Mic! I listen to him every week on the radio. I can't believe I get to see him in person. I'm so moved! All the teachers at UA are pro heroes!"

"Shut up, Deku!"

Neon turned to look for the two noisy boys. She spotted a boy with curly dark green hair and freckles dotting his cheekbones and a sullen boy with spiky blonde, almost white, hair and a scowl that seemed permanently etched into his facial structure. Suddenly, Neon found herself being turned around and she looked to see that Tenya had grabbed her chair. When their eyes met, he motioned to keep her eyes forward.

"Pay attention, Nishiyama-san. This is important," he said under his breath.

"Right. Sorry," Neon replied back and settled back in her seat.

"As it says on the application requirements, you listeners will be conducting ten-minute mock urban battles after this!" Present Mic said as the screen changed into a map breakdown of the different battle areas, "You can bring whatever you want with you! After the presentation, you'll head to the specified battle center on your registration card. Got it?"

Both Tenya and Neon nodded to no one in particular. Tenya didn't have to look again at his registration card to remember that he was assigned to Battle Center B and Neon didn't have to look at hers to know that Tenya would know what Battle Center she'd be. In fact, she was sure that he had her registration card because she sure as hell didn't.

"In other words, they won't let you work with your friends?"

"Kacchan! You're right! Even though our examinee numbers are consecutive, we're assigned to different battle centers."

"Don't look or I'll kill you!"

"EH?!"

"Tch! Damn. Now I can't crush you."

Neon clenched her fists and brought them to her lap while Tenya kept a firm hold on her chair.

 _So noisy. I can't take it. So noisy. So noisy. All this chattering. Can't they see I'm trying to concentrate here. I'm trying to learn the rules. I'm trying to pass this damn exam so I can be a damn hero. I'm trying to- Oh! Crap! I'm not listening._

She blinked and refocused her mind on the presenter when suddenly Tenya shot out of his chair with a handout in his hand.

"Excuse me! May I ask you a question?" he demanded with his other hand holding firmly up in the air.

"Iida-kun?" Neon asked just as a spotlight beamed down on him.

"Okay. What's your question?" Present Mic asked.

"You said there were three different type of villains but on the printout, it clearly shows four types of villains. If this is a misprint, then U.A., the most prominent school in Japan, should be ashamed of that foolish mistake! We examinees are here in this place because we wish to be exemplary heroes! With that said, you-" Iida started to say and as he turned to point at someone in the back, he was interrupted by the girl sitting right next to him.

"Just wanting to add on to that!" Neon shouted as she slammed her hands down on the table to push herself up and glare towards the two chattering monkeys that were making so much noise, "You two! Shut up! If you're here to chit chat and fanboy on heroes and stuff, do it on your own damn time. You guys are too distracting!"

"Fanboy?! Did you just call me a fanboy?! Don't lump me with the likes of Deku! I'll kill you!" the boy with the spiky hair shouted as he stood up to glare at Neon more directly.

"Gah! Just shut up already! You're too loud!" Neon groaned as she clamped her hand over her own ears while the other boy with the curly hair slapped his hand over his mouth and hung his head.

"Okay! Okay! Examinee Number 7111, 7112, and 2233...All three of you take your seats," Present Mic said, "And I will answer Examine Number 7111's question. My! What high energy we have today!"

Neon scowled at the spiky hair boy for one more second before flopping back down on her seat.

"Nishiyama-san...I was going to say something about them talking. You didn't have to do it," Iida said but continued to stand.

Neon shrugged, "Meh. I figured my delivery would be better."

Tenya raised an eyebrow but he bit his tongue. Why rile her up even more?

"As Examinee Number 7111 pointed out, there is indeed a fourth villain but unlike the others, the fourth type is worth zero points. That one is considered an obstacle course," Present Mic explained, "There's one in every battle center...An obstacle that will go crazy in narrow spaces. It's not impossible to defeat but there's no reason to defeat it either. I recommend that you listeners try to avoid it!"

Tenya bowed to the hero. "Thank you very much for answering my question! Please excuse the interruption!"

"That is all I have to say," Present Mic finished, "Finally, I'll give you a present - our school's motto! The hero Napoleon Bonaparte once said, 'A true hero is someone who overcomes life's misfortunes'. Go beyond….PLUS ULTRA!"

"Did you get all that? Do you understand all the rules?" Tenya asked under his breath.

"There were rules?" Neon asked back.

Iida sighed and handed her two sheets of paper - her registration card and his copy of the printout. He had highlighted all the key points and added everything the presenter said in neat bullet points. Just read this while on your way to Battle Arena A."

"Oh, whew. I knew you had my card," Neon said as she took the sheet.

"You must read the printout!" Tenya insisted and Neon gave him a small salute.

"Yes, sir!"


	3. Sound Like an Exam II

**Ch 3 - Sounds Like An Exam II**

"Oyyy! You! Stupid Dye Job!"

Neon ignored that familiar angered voice and continued to snap her fingers while pressing play on her phone. With every press, she formed a bubble the size of a beach ball before releasing it and moving it above her head. Her collection had already grown enough that her cluster of bubbles covered her like a beach umbrella. The bubbles also had various tints to them. Most of them were either blue or pink but there were also some yellow and green tinted bubbles too.

"Hey! I'm talking to you!"

Neon blinked at the spiky haired boy and then she held up her phone to him.

"What are you-"

 _Click._

The boy's eyes turned red.

"Did you just take my picture?!" he demanded.

"Yeah," Neon said as she inspected the photo and then put her phone back in her pocket, "When I tell my little sister about the exam, I want to be sure I have a photo of the Noisy Boy."

"N-Noisy Boy?! Oy! My name's Bakugo Katsuki! Remember it well because I'm going to be-."

"Oh! Look...You can see the moon even when the sun's out," Neon said as she snapped a photo of that as well, "I think I'll actually send that to Akia now."

"ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME?!"

"Not really," Neon replied and then put her phone back in her pants pocket after she sent the photo to her sister.

Before they all loaded onto a bus to go to their designated area, each applicant was allowed time to change into whatever clothes they brought for the physical part of the exam. Neon wore the navy blue tracksuit supplied by her school but she left her track jacket unzipped, revealing a white tank top underneath with the words "SOLO" prominently displayed on her shirt. Each letter was actually a musical symbol with the S being the treble clef, the O's being two eighth notes linked together, and a final barline as the L. Her headphones sat on her head and though it was not connected to her phone, the noise cancellation feature was turned on.

"You shouldn't worry about what I'm doing," Neon said as she counted how many bubbles she actually had in her cluster, "Focus on the exam."

"Who says I'm worried about you?!" the boy yelled back. His face had turned almost demonic with all of his sharp teeth showing as he talked, "I just came to warn you not to get in my way!"

"Okay," Neon was all said back.

"...AND I'M NOT A FANBOY!"

"Okay. You're a noisy boy."

"I'm not a noisy boy!"

"Okay."

"STOP SAYING 'OKAY'!"

"Sure."

"Why you-"

"Okay! START!"

"Eh?!"

The two of them looked up to see Present Mic standing on top of a stone tower with his arms spread wide. "What's wrong? There are no countdowns in real fights. Run! Run! Run!"

Neon took off as soon as she heard "no countdowns" but she was already several feet behind the ones who acted the fastest, including Noisy Boy, who was flying above everyone by blasting out fire from his hands like a rocket.

However, Neon didn't dwell too much on that. Instead, she focused on getting away from the crowd. She was stuck in the middle of the pack and as much as she wanted to, she wasn't allowed to use her Quirk against people or cause them harm. That was the most irritating rule out of the list Tenya had given her. She had to rely on her natural physical abilities for now.

"Ugh! Get out of my way!" Neon shouted as she pushed herself towards the side of the group until she found an open doorway into an empty building. It was quite impressive that the school was able to build mock cities for its students but Neon wasn't looking to admire the vast infrastructure at the moment. She was just trying to get to higher ground. She raced up the steps of the building and up onto the rooftops.

From high above, she could see the mass group of students was starting to thin as more of them tapered off into different alleyways and cross streets. The sounds of explosions emitted from somewhere several blocks to the east of Neon and it was followed by small plumes of smoke.

"GET OUT OF MY WAY! THAT'S MY VILLAIN!" she heard Noisy Boy scream above the ruckus.

Neon sucked in a breath and ran as far as she could in the other direction. She took a giant leap right on the edge of the roof and landed on the building next door, which was about 6 feet away from each other. She jumped from rooftop to rooftop towards where it was quieter and less people.

"Target acquired…"

Neon tumbled onto the nearest building just as an olive green robot rolled out onto the street below with a "2" painted on the back of it's arm. It was heading towards two other examinees, a boy and a girl. Neon scrambled to the side of the building and pointed two fingers forward just as the two examinees ran towards the villain.

"This one's mine!" the boy yelled.

"No mine!" the girl said but they both froze when two blue-tinted bubbles stuck to each side of the robot's neck.

 _Pop! Pop!_

"Wub wub wub wub wub wub wub wub!"

"AHHH!" the boy and the girl clamped their hands to their ears as a strong bass reverb exploded from the bubbles. The hinge on the neck of the robot started to spark and tremble before the entire head snapped off and rolled to the ground.

"Sorry. That one was mine," Neon called out from the top as she jumped to another rooftop with her bubbles trailing her. When she got to a clear street crossing with no one and no signs of battle, Neon leapt off the roof, grabbed the pole of a nearby streetlight and swung herself up and over several times before propelling herself towards the center of street. She landed perfectly on her feet with her arms outstretched over her head and with a begrudging thanks to her mother for forcing her to take gymnastics during elementary school.

"Target acquired."

Three more robots, two '1's and one '2', bursted out from different corners of the street and they came racing at Neon. She flicked her hand down. Pink tinted bubbles came shooting out and lodging themselves on various parts of each robot.

 _Thwack!_

A long, white strip of something suddenly shot out from behind Neon and it wrapped around and bound together the '2' robot. Neon whirled around just in time to see a flat faced boy with the white strip coming out of his elbow grinning at her.

"Sorry. I'm taking this one," he said as he grabbed the end of the strip and swung the robot into the side of a nearby building.

"Shit…" Neon muttered, "Sorry."

"Huh? What are _you_ apologizing for?"

"For this…"

 _Snap!_

" _EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"_

 _Crash!_

High-pitched piercing shrieks broke through her sound bubbles and it struck the remaining robots, causing them to short circuit with steam coming out of its joints. The sound also shattered all the windows in a 20 foot radius. The boy let out a startled cry as he covered his arms with his hands and ducked into the hole in the building he had created from his robot takedown while Neon yanked out the entire arm of the nearest robot to use it as cover. When the glass shards finished falling to the floor, the boy looked over at Neon, who could only shrug.

"I didn't think anyone was around. Otherwise, I'd have chosen a different sound."

"What? What did you say? I can't hear you. There's ringing in my ears."

"Double sorry," Neon said as she ran off down the street, "Damn. I hope I don't get penalized for that. I should just stick to my bass bubbles instead."

 _Kaboom! Kaboom! Kaboom!_

Neon veered around the corner just to see Katsuki explode three robots' heads off. He scoffed when he saw her.

"Heh! Too slow. I got to it first," he laughed, "I'm at 43 already. You?"

A pit dropped in Neon's stomach. "...4…" she muttered.

Katsuki seemed quite pleased with her low number and he laughed heartily before shooting off into the distance. His voice trailed off as he left and Neon looked in the direction he ran. At this point her legs were burning and her entire body was drenched in sweat but she knew she couldn't stop. This encounter with the Noisy Boy was the fuel that she very much needed.

"Alright. Time to get serious," Neon said as she crossed her arms over her chest, gathering her bubbles around her body, "LET'S DO THIS!"

She ran through the streets with newfound fervor, not even stopping when villains come out of the woodwork towards her. She just pointed at them, sent a bass bubble, and snapped. She didn't look at their numbers or if she had taken it away from anybody. She didn't even bother counting how many villains she attacked. All she knew was that she had to keep running because every second that she paused was a second an opportunity for a point would be taken away.

Her bubbles were dwindling and when she was left with only 2 bass bubbles and a group of untouched high pitched bubbles, that was when the ground started to tremble. Neon stumbled to a halt in order to regain her balance and she looked around her. There were several people nearby and they looked just as bewildered as she did on what was happening.

Suddenly, the buildings ahead of them exploded, creating clouds of dust and debris. The cloud of dust grew closer and closer as sounds of explosion and heavy machinery drew closer and closer. One by one the buildings in front of Neon started to crumble and through the dust, she could see the silhouette of a robot villain bigger and taller than most of the buildings in the city.

"That's...the obstacle! The zero point one!" someone shouted as everyone began to run away.

"TWO MINUTES!"

"Ah! It's closing in. Shit. Somebody, help me!" someone screamed somewhere in the dust cloud.

"Eh?" Neon bolted towards the sound as she threw her arm over her nose to avoid breathing in too much of the dust. In the distance she could see the silhouette of someone on the ground. As she got closer, she saw a boy clutching his ankle and stretching out his hand towards her.

"Please help! I twisted my ankle trying to get away," he cried.

"Ah! Here. Lean on me," Neon said as she went over to him, hooked his arm over her neck and stumbled forward. The dust was getting thicker and she could hear the rumblings of the Zero Point getting closer but she couldn't move as fast as she did before. She was getting tired and no sort of mental motivation could help her at this point.

"Come on! It's getting closer!" the guy whined.

"I'm trying!" Neon said as the ground beneath her feet begin to shake, "Ugh. It's hard to move fast with all this dust...Okay...Bare with me…Cover your ears."

"What?" the guy asked.

 _Snap! Pop!_

"EEEEEEEE!"

A pink bubble burst letting out a high frequency tone that sent the dust flying away from them and clearing their vision just as the shadow of the Zero Point fell right over them.

Neon and the guy both turned to see that the Zero Point obstacle was only a few feet away. "AHHHHH!" Neon and the guy screamed.

"There you are!"

 _Thwack!_

Suddenly, a familiar white adhesive curled around Neon and the boy, pinning them to each other.

"Hang on!" yelled the flat faced boy with the tape as he pulled the pair towards him. He stood on a rooftop out of range of the Zero Point's destructive path and the pair were flung onto the roof just as the Zero Point trampled through where they were originally standing.

"Thanks. I owe you one," Neon said as she tried to sit up but since she was pinned to the other guy, who seemed to have no inclination of changing his state of being flat, it proved most difficult.

"I'm alive...I'm alive…" the guy wept as pools of tears formed beneath his face.

"GROSS!" Neon shouted as the pool inched towards her and she wriggled her whole body like a worm, "GET ME OUT OF HERE!"

"Sorry. Sorry," the tape guy said with a grin as he ripped the tape with his bare hands and Neon rolled as far away as she could, "I saw you run back in there and I would've retrieved you guys sooner but with the dust cloud and everything-"

"No need to explain. You saved us. Plain and simple," Neon sighed and rubbed her neck, "Ugh. I'm tired. I don't even know if I can walk out of here let alone take the written exam."

"Ha. If you are this beat, why did you even run in to save this guy?" the tape guy laughed.

"Well, I didn't know I was this tired until now," Neon snapped, "Besides, I heard him...and I...just reacted. Why does it matter? We survived, didn't we?"

"Good point," the tape guy said and he stuck out his hand towards Neon. "I'm Sero Hanta."

Neon looked at the traces of cuts along his hand she winced before taking it. "Nishiyama Neon...Were those from...the glass earlier?"

Hanta laughed and placed his free hand on his hip. "Don't worry about it."

"TIME'S UP!" Present Mic announced and Neon's shoulder slumped.

"It's over...finally," she sighed.

"Ermmm...My name is Mamoru Junko if anybody was wondering," said the boy who needed to be saved.

 _-1 Week Later-_

"56 Akia's….57 Akia's...58 Akia's," Neon grunted as she slowly did one handed push-ups while her sister sat cross-legged on her back.

"Go, Nee-chan. Go!" Akia giggled.

Ever since the entrance exam, Neon worked out and trained like a demon possessed. The practical exam was a rude awakening to her just how much she lacked in terms of stamina and strength. Everything in her life became solely focused on strengthening her body, including her usual play time with her little sister.

Thankfully, whatever Akia wished for, Akia received so when she asked for a private gym that could be connected to her room, their father had it done and finished by the next day. It came equipped with all the bells and whistles, which included a boxing ring. Hand drawn motivational posters hung around the wall with Akia's words of encouragement written out in colorful markers while tv screens that lined the room flashed footage and news clips of professional heroes in action.

"...59...Akia's," Neon groaned as she struggled to get back up from the floor. Beads of sweat poured down her face and dripped onto the mat. She drew in a breath and started to lower herself again, "60 A-"

 _Thump. Thump._

"Neon. You're-"

 _Splat!_

Neon completely collapsed onto the floor with her face mushing into the pool of her own sweat while her hands splayed out on the sides. Akia rolled off her sister's back and giggled at her older brother, who had knocked on the door and stuck his head in.

"What the hell do you want, Koushi?" Neon sighed as she flopped on her back and stared up at him.

Koushi was just a younger version of their father in every sense, at least to Neon. Both were just selfish and entitled men that would do anything for a good deal. They cared more about what was in the accounting books than what was happening around them.

"Please watch your tone, Neon. I have done nothing to deserve such-," Koushi started to say but then Neon sat up and folded her arms. He cleared his throat and pulled out an envelope from his inner jacket pocket and held it out, "The mail just came in and this was addressed to you...From UA."

Both girls hurriedly got to their feet as Neon grabbed the envelope from his hands. It was a small envelope with a red wax seal stamped with the UA logo on it. Neon sucked in a breath as she felt the thickness of the envelope.

"Open it! Open it!" Akia shouted as she bounced on her feet.

"It's...thin…" Neon gulped, "Wouldn't an acceptance letter have more paperwork for orientation?"

"Well, if you do get rejected, I'm sure there is still time for me to call the Board of Education at St. Re-"

Neon glared at her brother. "I already said I'm not going to whatever uppity private school we have connections with. Could you at least pretend that you believe in me?! _Pretend_ that there's actually some warmth running through your cold blood?"

Koushi sighed. "I didn't say you didn't get in, Neon. I'm just saying _if_ you didn't-"

"P-Please don't fight..."

Neon inhaled sharply as she looked down at her sister, who had her head hung low and big, fat tears plopping down at her feet.

"Please...please don't fight…," Akia pleaded as she rubbed her eyes with the back of her arm, "I don't like it when you two fight."

Neon rolled her eyes at how statue-like Koushi seemed to be at the moment and then she knelt to the ground and wrapped her arms around Akia. "I'm sorry for upsetting you, Akia. The fight's over. We're not fighting anymore...Right, Koushi?"

"I certainly wasn't the one who was combative."

Neon gritted her teeth and forced a smile. "See, Akia? No fighting. Now...Should we open the envelope?"

Akia nodded against Neon's shoulder and then she lifted her head up to beam at her older sister. "I'm sure you got in, Nee-chan. You can do anything!"

Neon chuckled as she sat down on the floor and had Akia sit in her lap. Neon gingerly ripped the edges of the envelope and then tilted the opening into her open hand. Two folded sheets of paper followed by a small metal disk fell into her palm.

"Eh?" Akia whispered as she lifted up the metal disk, "What's this?"

"State of the art projection disk," Koushi said with an approved nod, "Impressive technology. It'll activate when it's set down on a flat surface."

"Huh?" Akia asked.

"Put it on the floor, Akia," Neon said with an exasperated look to her brother, "Geez. Akia's 5, not 25!"

"Here it goes!" Akia said and laid the disk right by Neon's feet.

A beam of light came out from the disk and suddenly, a large toothy smile was projected above the desk. "I am here as a projection!" came a boisterous voice.

"EH?! ALL MIGHT?!" Akia squealed as she leaned forward in her sister's lap to get a better look.

"What is All Might doing in an UA admittance video?!" Neon asked.

"Yes! It is true. I have taken a position as a teacher at UA," All Might laughed as he placed a hands on his hips, "But let us get to the matter at hand! Nishiyama Neon! Let's see how you did!"

He turned his back to the camera and suddenly the camera shifted to side and a new screen appeared beside All Might, showing Neon's name above the words "Villian Points".

"Based on your practical exam, you were able to accumulate 18 Villain Points," All Might announced.

The numbers 18 flashed under the Villain Points and it made Neon's stomach tighten. That wasn't even half of what Noisy Guy got in the first five minutes of the exam.

"But...the practical exam was not just about that...No, no, no," All Might grinned.

"Huh?"

The screen changed to replay the footage of Neon rushing into the dust cloud and then being lifted out with Junko.

"Is that the guy you saved, Nee-chan?!" Akia asked excitedly, having forced Neon to recount her exam multiple times in the past week.

" _Tried_ to save," Neon corrected, "But yes…"

"The entrance exam was not graded solely on Villain Points," All Might announced, "How can a hero course reject people who save others and do the right thing? No. In fact, there was another grade to this exam."

The words "Rescue Points" flashed next to Villain Points.

"RESCUE POINTS!" All Might announced, "They're given by a panel of judges that reviewed any heroic or rescue action done throughout the course of the exam. It's the other basic ability we at UA looked at. Nishiyama Neon, despite the fact that you did not successfully save the young boy on your own, you still rushed in at the first sign of trouble instinctively and a hero needs that. You've been awarded…"

Neon sucked in a breath.

"13 points!"

Neon's shoulder slumped. "That's only a total of 31...Shit...Shit…"

"To be perfectly frank," All Might said, "Your points barely put you in the top 40."

The chart changed to the top 10 names and Neon's heart sank when she saw that the best score was 77.

Neon groaned. "Ugh….It's over. I failed."

"However…" All Might said, "There was another exam result I have yet to mention...The written exam."

Neon gulped as All Might grinned at the screen and gave a thumbs up to the screen. "You! Nishiyama Neon are #1!"

Neon blinked as her name appeared on a whole new top 10 chart and her name was sandwiched between two numbers - "1" and "100".

"That's right. For the first time in the 10 years, we have an examinee obtain a perfect score on the written exam!" All Might shouted, "Yes. It is important for a hero to act and be strong...But it is also essential for a hero to think critically and be as knowledgeable as possible. Why? Because who knows what kind of detail could come of use one day in saving someone's life or to thwart a villain's ploy? And with that kind of showing, it definitely means…"

"No way…" Neon whispered.

"NISHIYAMA NEON!" All Might managed to roar through his brilliant smile.

"Nee-chan!" Akia gasped as she clutched Neon's hands.

"YOU….PASS!"

* * *

 **A/N: Alright! Now everything is set up and we are about to start school!**

 **Real question for you guys. I usually base character names on what everyone calls them instead of just sticking to first names. (eg: I would write "Shoji said" instead of "Mezo said", just so there's no confusion of who I'm talking about) but would that irk you guys in terms of writing style? Should I just stick to last names (or first names) and be consistent? :\**


	4. Sounds Like the First Day of School I

**Ch 4 - Sounds Like The First Day of School I**

 _This door is huge…What could possibly be the reason for such a tall door? Are the teachers here all 14 feet tall pro heroes? Do we have someone in our class who is that huge? Why is it this tall? Is this even necessary?!_

Neon stood in front of the door for an inordinate amount of time with her head leaned way back so she could see the top of it. It had "1-A" painted on it so there was no mistaking that this was her class. She was supposed to be in on the other side of the door but she just couldn't get past it. The mystery of the door size was too captivating.

"Ahem…" Tenya coughed next to her before reaching over and opening the door himself, "Nishiyama-san, we cannot dawdle especially on the first day of class."

"Yeah…" was all Neon could say back as she begrudgingly followed him into the classroom. A loose cluster of floating sound bubbles trailed behind her.

On instinct, Neon's eyes immediately went to locate all the nearest exits and entry points. Her hand twitched for a second and she had to consciously stop herself from moving at least a sound bubble at every corner. Then, she assessed the occupants in the room.

Despite them arriving an hour early to campus, given Tenya's insistence of having ample time to familiarize himself with the school grounds, they managed to get to the class 15 minutes before class was about to start. Given that Neon was used to arriving whenever, she was privately surprised by how many people had already arrived and settled in their seats.

There were five rows of four with an extra seat in the back by itself in equal distance between the backdoor and the window. Most of the seats had already been filled up, which Neon didn't have much qualms about since the seat were assigned any ways. Everyone who had been talking silenced immediately and stared at Neon and Teyna. Some of the looked genuinely curious while others looked either bored or solemn.

 _I guess people really do take class seriously around here,_ she thought as she watched Tenya march to the front of the room and bow. He placed one hand on his chest and another hand chopped forward.

"Hello. I am Iida Tenya. I look forward to sharing our educational experience together!" he announced. Then he looked at his orientation packet and he nodded. "Yes. I am in seat 4...which would be…"

"It's over here. Behind me," said a girl with the largest and roundest eyes Neon had ever seen, "Nice to meet you, Iida-kun. My name is Asui Tsuyu but call me Tsu."

"Ah. Thank you, Tsu-chan!" Tenya said and marched over to his new desk, the first seat of the fourth row. He set his backpack down and then realized that Neon was still by the door, "Ah! Nishiyama-san! What about you?"

"Wait. Nishiyama?" a girl sitting near the back of the class sat up a little straighter to get a better look at Neon. She had her long black hair tied into a spiky ponytail. She smiled brightly at Neon, who noticed that her voice had a musical lull to her tonality, "As in the Nishiyama Conglomerate? Are you part of that family?"

Neon's lips pursed ever so slightly as she snapped her fingers.

" _Guilty as charged."_

Tenya jutted his hands forward. "Nishiyama-san! I hope you got enough rest and didn't stay up too late watching old cop shows. We must be at peak physical condition for class. A school of this caliber will definitely push us to our limits everyday!"

Neon shrugged her shoulders. What could she do? Akia was in the mood to watch some crime fighting movies last night.

The girl got to her feet and walked over to Neon just as a boy with short orangey-blond hair and a black lightning-shaped streak did the same.

"Ooh...Do those sounds come for your bubbles?" he asked as he moved a finger towards a green tinted balloon that was about the size of a basketball.

" _Eeeeooooeeee! Please put your hands behind your head and step away from the vehicle."_

The boy threw both hands in the air and jumped away. "Sorry. Sorry! I just wanted to hear another sound," he said and then he grinned at Neon, "I'm Kaminari Denki. Maybe we can grab a bite after class and talk more about these bubbles."

" _That is a negative, sir."_

Denki's face turned bright red while the other students stifled a laugh.

"Don't touch the bubbles," Neon warned, "You could accidentally trigger a chain reaction if you aren't careful and hurt everyone."

"Oh! So you _can_ talk!" Denki laughed.

Neon shrugged. "Why waste my breath when I already have sound bytes that can do it for me?"

"I'm Yaoyorozu Momo," the girl said with a small nod, "I believe our father plays golf together in Hawaii. You are their eldest daughter, Nishiyama Neon-san, correct?"

"Yah," Neon said with a tilt of her head, "I remember your name too. My mother paid your family a visit in London for tea once."

Momo's eyes lit up. "Oh yes! That was over 7 years ago. I completely forgot about that."

Neon shrugged. "I never forget what I hear."

"Hawaii? London?" Denki gasped, "What kind of rich lives do you two lead?"

"I come from a family of heroes," Momo said with a slight blush, "But it is nothing compared to the wealth and influence of the Nishiyama family."

Neon winced. "We own land. That's all…"

"Where's your seat?" Momo asked.

Neon showed her the paper.

"Oh. Seat 16...Hrmm...I believe…" Momo said as she turned to face the back of the class and then she did a quick count in her head, "Yes! It's the last table in the back. Near me!"

She walked Neon to her desk and Neon smiled just a little.

 _Best desk spot. Yes!_

"Ah! Nishiyama?! You're in this class too?!" The classroom door slid open and Sero came walking in with a big grin on his face. "Thanks to you, I got a great score in my practical exam. I'm sure you did too! How many Rescue Points did you get?"

"Enough to get me here," Neon replied as she slid her headphones over her ears and started to play music on her phone.

"Oh...I guess the conversation is over?" Sero said as he scratched the back of his head.

"AHHHHHH! YOU MADE IT?! I can't believe they'd let someone like you pass!"

The voice made Neon flinch more than the words and she grimaced when she saw the Noisy Boy coming at her with a finger directed at her face. She pushed her headphones down and raised her hand.

 _Snap!_

Before he could even say anything, a bubble formed around his head and drowned out whatever outburst he was about to spew.

"Good morning to you too, Noisy Boy," Neon muttered.

His face was getting redder with every unheard word sprouting out of his lips and his hands moved to pop the bubble around his head but no matter how hard he pressed, the bubble would not pop. He then decided to sprint towards Neon but was quickly held back by Denki and Sero.

"Nishiyama...I think you should let him go. He looks like his whole head is about to explode," Denki suggested as he struggled to reign Katsuki in.

"You shouldn't be using your Quirk without a teacher present anyways," Tenya said who walked over to her desk, "You might get in trouble."

That made Neon sit up and she held up her hand. "Fine."

 _Snap!_

"-THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING, YOU FUCKING LOW LIFE, DYE JOB?! I WILL KILL YOU!" Katsuki screamed with his hands outstretched towards Neon.

"Wow...the mouth on this one," Denki whistled.

"Is this truly the words of someone aspiring to become a hero?" Tenya asked.

"Shut up, you stupid side characters!"

 _Snap!_

Suddenly, a bubble ballooned out over Neon's entire desk as she closed her eyes, pulled her headphones back over her ears, and listened to her music. From outside the bubble, everyone could see but not hear the long, breath of content that Neon exhaled.

"She...bubbled herself?" Denki asked incredulously.

"STUPID DYE JOB! COME OUT OF THERE SO I CAN CRUSH YOU!" Katsuki yelled.

"Give up. I don't think she can hear you," Sero said and placed a hand on Katsuki's shoulder, who immediately shrugged it off and stormed away, looking for his desk.

"Don't touch me!" he snapped.

Momo looked up at the ceiling where the other sound bubbles retreated to and then back at the bubble that wrapped around Neon. She lightly touched the bubble and was surprised to find that it had a strong elasticity to it. "It seems Nishiyama-san can produce two different types of bubbles. One that stores sound and one that can confine it...and the texture of this type is less delicate than the type Nishiyama-san warned Kaminari-san not to touch. What an unique Quirk."

"You're very observant, Yaoyoruzo-san," Tenya said with an approving nod, "Most people just assume it's the same type of bubble. I, myself, had to experience it a few times myself to put it together."

"You and Nishiyama are pretty close, huh?" Sero asked.

Tenya gasped and his angular arms began to chop the air randomly. "Ah! I would not be so bold as to say that we are friends but indeed, Nishiyama-san and I have a long history and are well-acquainted with each other."

Another boy entered the room. This one had hair that was red on the left and white on the white. He also had a red burn mark around his right eye. He looked down at the piece of paper in his hand and then walked down the room towards Neon's desk. He stopped right in front of the group and stared at them for an uncomfortably long time before speaking in a low voice. "You're in my way."

"Huh?" Denki and Sero said.

The boy held up his paper. "Seat 15."

"Ah! Indeed, this is your desk!" Tenya shouted as he hurriedly leapt out of the way and gave the boy a small bow, "I sincerely apologize. We are blocking your path."

The group dispersed and the boy pulled out his chair. He stopped short when his hand bumped into Neon's bubble. There were still a few inches he had to pull out to actually sit at his desk. He looked over at Neon, who was looking at something on her phone, blatantly tuning the world out.

 _Donk! Donk!_

He hit his knuckles against the bubble to get her attention. It worked but then she raised her phone.

 _Snap. Click!_

She released her bubble and took a picture of the boy at the same time.

If the boy was surprised, angered, or even confused by her behavior, his expression did not show it. "Why'd you take my picture?" he finally asked after staring at her for a bit.

"Inspiration," Neon said.

"For what?"

"My next hair color," Neon said and straightened out some of her hair for him to see, "I dyed this myself but I'm thinking about changing it. Did you dye that or is it natural?"

He stared at her coldly, giving her enough time to take in that one of his eyes was blue, and then he sat down with his back to her. "I was born this way."

"Don't put your feet on the desk! Don't you find that disrespectful to the upperclassmen that had that seat and to the craftsman that made this desk?!"

Neon leaned to the side so she could see what was happening near the front of the room and she groaned. Tenya was in the middle of lecturing Katsuki for resting his feet on the desk. It was like her worst nightmares had come together. Loud and aggressive combined with long and arduous.

"Nope! What junior high did you go to crawl out of anyways, you side character?" Katsuki sneered.

"Oh," Tenya said as he put a hand to his chest and stuck out a hand, "I attended Somei Private Academy. My name is Tenya Iida."

"Somei?!" Katsuki scoffed, "So you're a damn elite, huh?"

Suddenly the sneer left Katsuki's face as someone at the door caught his eye. Tenya followed the eyeline and he too looked surprised. "You?"

It was the curly haired boy that was whispering to Katsuki during the presentation. With all eyes in the room now fully on him, his face turned red and he grabbed the straps of his backpack. "Oh! Uh...Uh…"

"Oh...it's the Fan Boy," Neon said and when the boy's eyes met her's, he visibly blanched.

Tenya charged forward. "Oh! Good morning. Allow me to introduce myself. I am-"

"I heard," the curly haired boy said quickly recovering his senses so that he could take a step back and clear some space between him and Tenya, "I'm Midoriya Izuku. Nice to meet you, Iida-kun."

"Midoriya-kun, you realized there was something more to that practical exam, didn't you? I had no idea. I hate to admit it but you are better than me. I have misjudged you," Tenya said and Neon rested her hand on her chin.

 _Oh? Did that boy save someone during the practical exams?_

"Oh! That curly hair! You're the plain looking one!" a girl exclaimed from behind Midoriya.

Midoriya turned and revealed a girl with a bob similar to Neon's except hers was longer in the front and she was a natural brunette. "You passed!" she said with relief, "Just like Present Mic said! Of course you did. Your punch was amazing!"

The girl started to jump up and down throwing her fist in the air and Neon put a little bit more weight on her hand as she observed them a little more. The girl had a childlike quality in her voice. She couldn't help but think that if used properly, that voice could be quite consoling to children during times of crisis.

Midoriya turned a deep shade of red, which the girl seemed not to notice as she continued to jump in place. "Oh..um...well, it was thanks to you going to speak with him directly that-," he stammered.

"Go somewhere else if you want to play and make friends," a low voice drawled out from outside the room, "This is the hero course."

From her seat, Neon couldn't see who was talking but whoever it was they were either really short or laying flat on the ground, judging by the angle of Tenya, Midoriya, and the girl's eyeline.

"Okay...It took 8 seconds for you kids to be quiet. Time is limited. You are not rational enough," the voice said as Neon heard something unzip and suddenly, whoever was speaking stepped into the room. "I'm your homeroom teacher, Shota Aizawa," he said, "Nice to meet you."

"Eh?!" the entire room gasped at that admission but he seemed unfazed by their reaction. He reached into the yellow sleeping bag he had in his hand and took out a blue tracksuit with red and white marks.

Neon knew that all teachers at UA were pro-heroes but this one certainly didn't look like any hero she had ever seen. He had scraggly, unkempt black hair that went to his shoulders and even down his face, which was mostly covered by the beige scarf that wrapped around his neck and shoulders over a black slouchy sweater. The most she could see from his face was that he had a pale complexion that was almost sickly. Considering he spoke slowly and monotonously, she could only wonder if he was getting enough sleep

"It's kind of sudden but you should all have been assigned one of these. Put them on and meet me on the field," he instructed. With that and no other information, he turned on his feet and walked off.

"What?! What was that?!" Katsuki demanded, "Is that guy really going to be our teacher?!"

"I-I guess we need to go change and get to the field," Midoriya said.

"But where are the locker rooms? I don't even know where the field is!" Denki shouted.

"Actually, Nishiyama-san and I took the liberty of getting here early this morning in order to familiarize ourselves with the facilities-," Tenya started to say and Neon immediately jumped up to cut him off.

"We know the way," Neon said, "Guys go with Iida-kun. Girls, come with me."

"Yes, precisely. Thank you, Nishiyama-san."

The class made their way down to the locker rooms and changed into the blue tracksuits with streaks of white at the front that formed the letters UA. With the boys making up the majority of the class, Neon noticed the girls that she didn't get a chance to before. One girl that really caught her eye was a girl that was completely pink from head to toe except for the yellow in her eyes and antennae like horns.

"Hey…," Neon said to the girl, when they were all finished getting dressed, and then held up her phone, "Would you mind if I took a picture of you? My sister's favorite color is pink and I think she'd really like your look."

"Who? Me?" the girl replied with a bright smile. She leaned back and posed with her hand on her hip, "Sure! I'm Ashido Mina, by the way! You're Nishiyama-san, right?"

 _Click!_

"Thanks and yes. Can I call you Mina?" Neon asked, "I like the sound of it better than Ashido."

Mina laughed. "Yeah sure!"

"Oh! We should take a picture of you then!" the brunette girl said as she held out her own phone, "I'm sure your sister would love to see you in your new gym uniform! Here. I'll take a picture and send it to you."

"No. It's fine," Neon said, "Just Mina is enough."

It wasn't that Neon didn't want the picture to be taken. She knew for sure Akia would want to see that but it was more of the fact that she didn't want to share her contact information with anyone. She could ask to have the photo taken on her own phone but that seemed too much of a hassle.

"I'm Uraraka Ochaco," the girl said with a smile, "I think it's really sweet that you share photos with your little sister. How old is she?"

"She's 5…," Neon said and then her eyes drifted upwards, "U-ra-ra-ka….O-cha-co...Hrmmm...I think I like Ochaco better. Can I call you Ochaco?"

Ochaco smile did not move a muscle. "Yeah! Makes us sound like we're close friends already! May I call you Neon-chan then?"

"No," Neon said flatly and Ochaco looked taken aback, "I don't like the sound of it. Just Neon is fine."

"Oh...I see," Ochaco said as her smile slowly returned to her face.

"I'm Jiro Kyoka," said a girl with earlobes shaped like long audio jacks. She had a smirk on her face and her thumb jutted towards her own face, "Which of my name sounds better to you?"

Neon looked the girl up and down. "Jiro...Jiro sounds better."

"Ha! That's fine," Jiro said with a grin and then she twirled one of her earlobes around her finger, "I have a sound base Quirk too. You can store sound right? That's pretty cool."

"I can also amplify and dampen…" Neon said.

"Nice," Jiro said, "Looks like we have similar Quirks. We could work well together."

 _Or terribly against each other,_ Neon thought to herself but she kept her mouth shut. Instead, she looked over at the clock hanging above the door. "I think we should head out. We don't want to be late."

"Oh, right!" Ochaco said as she hurriedly put her things away and stuffed them in a locker.

The girls headed out to the field just as the boys arrived as well. Their teacher stood at the edge of track with his arms crossed. He waited for them all to settle down and he took in a deep breath. "Alright. Today, we will be doing a Quirk assessment test."

"A Quirk assessment test?!" the class asked.

"But what about the entrance ceremony? Or our orientation?" Ochaco exclaimed.

Their teacher sighed. "If you're going to become a hero, you don't have time for such leisurely events. UA's selling point is how unrestricted it's school traditions are," he said, "That's also how the teachers run their classes."

He pulled out a device and showed them a list on the screen.

Softball throw

Long jump

50 m dash

Long run

Grip test

High Jump

Sit ups

Side steps

"You guys did this in junior high, yes? Physical fitness tests where you weren't allowed to use your Quirks?" he asked, "The country still uses averages taken from results from students not using their Quirks. It's not rational. Well, the Ministry of Education is procrastinating."

He took a step back. "Bakugo, you finished at the top of the practical exam, right?"

Neon clenched her fists. _Ugh. So Noisy Boy got 77 points...Shit. I'm never telling him my score._

"In junior high, what was your best result for the softball throw?" Aizawa asked.

"Oh...67 meters," Katsuki replied.

"Then...try doing it with your Quirk," Aizawa said and handed him a ball, "You can do whatever you want as long as you stay in the circle. Hurry up...Give it all you got."

Katsuki's eyes lit up as he stepped into the circle marked on the ground. He stretched his arms and bent his legs. He wound his arm back from the pitch and then he gritted his teeth.

"DIEEEEEE!" he screamed as he launched the ball with an explosive blast from his hands.

Neon tilted her head.

" _Die…?!"_

The ball sailed high up into the air with fire streaking behind it and it disappeared from everyone's vision.

"It's important to know your own maximum first…That is the most rational way to form the foundation of a hero," Aizawa said as the ball fell to the ground and he tracked the distance with the device in his hand. He held up the screen for all to see.

"705.2 METERS?!" the class exclaimed as Katsuki puffed up his chest.

"What's this? It looks fun!" Mina laughed.

"We can use our Quirks as much as we want!" Hanta cheered, "That's going to make a world of difference! I'm pumped!"

"Fun, huh?" Aizawa sighed, "You have three years to become a hero. Will you have an attitude like that the whole time? That won't do."

A malicious grin formed on their teacher's face. "All right. Let's raise the stakes then. Whoever comes in last place in all eight tests will be judged to have no potential and will be punished...with expulsion."

"Are you kidding?!" a boy with spiky red hair shouted, "We just got through the exam! Why should we be tested again?"

"Expelled? On the first day of school?!" Ochaco exclaimed, "No! Even if it wasn't the first day of school, this is too unfair!"

Aizawa chuckled. "Welcome to the UA hero course! Natural disasters...Crisis...Crimes...We cannot control when these things happen. Life is unfair...Heroes are the ones who reverse those situations. If you came here thinking it would be just a normal day at school, too bad. For the next three years, UA will do all it can to give you one hardship after another. Go beyond...Plus Ultra."

Neon closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Why couldn't they just evaluate her for her? Why does she have to be compared to others?! She had bit the bullet and gone through the entrance exam process because it was necessary and that was what she had to do to get in. She also knew that would naturally be a competitive spirit in the course. She just didn't expect it to start on the very first day of school.

But this is what she signed up for and she had to see it through. No matter what.

No matter how many new sound or experiences Neon records for her sister, she knew it would never be good as the real thing. All the things she's done in the past to make Akia's days bearable, if not bright, were all trivial and temporary fixes. This...This will definitely help open the door for both of them.

"Alright...Demonstrations over. Let's get started," Aizawa said and walked towards the track, "First test. 50 meter dash!"

Neon shot a jealous look at Tenya's calves as they got in line by their seat number. _If only I had a physical Quirk…_ , she thought as she crossed her arms and thought about how she would use her Quirk to her advantage.

They raced two at a time with Tenya going first along with a girl with a long tongue. He streaked through using the engines in his calves in 3 seconds while the girl frog jumped through in a little under 6 seconds. By being the first pair to go, they set the bar very high.

When it got to Neon's turn, she stepped up next to the boy with red and white hair. She waved her hand down and three blue tinted bubbles, each the size of a grapefruit, came floating towards her. They lined down her back but an inch apart.

 _Here goes nothing…_

"Ready?" Aizawa called, "Set? Go!"

 _Beep!_

As soon as he blew his whistle, Neon jumped up and snapped her fingers.

 _Pop_!

 _Wub wub wub wub wub wub wub!_

The soundwave propelled her forward but barely a third of the way. She knew it wouldn't clear the full way but just as she was about to snap her fingers to break the next bubble, the track next to her was covered in ice and the boy slid right across to the finish line.

 _Beep!_

"5.4 seconds," the monitoring robot reported.

Without hesitation, Neon put one foot on the ice path and snapped her fingers.

 _Pop!_

 _EEEEEEEEE!_

The class covered their ears and winced as Neon skated forward to the finish line with one foot.

 _Beep!_

"6.3 seconds."

The boy in red and white hair was blinked at her at the finish line and she flashed a thumb up sign to him. "Thanks for the boost."

"Nishiyama!" Aizawa called out.

Neon closed her eyes and sighed. _Crap._

"Yes, Sensei?"

"I said to use your own Quirk. It doesn't count if you use Todoroki's. Do it again."

"But-"

"Do it again or else I'll put you on the bottom for this test," Aizawa said and Neon gulped.

Neon sighed and got back to the starting line. She motioned for more bubbles to come down and then waited for the whistle.

"Go!"

 _Pop!_

" _Oh, we're not gonna take it / No, we ain't gonna take it!"_

 _Pop!_

" _Baby_ _shark / doo doo doo doo doo doo / Baby shark / doo doo doo doo!"_

 _Pop!_

 _Brrrr-rat-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta!_

 _Beep!_

"7.5 seconds."

At the last bubble, everyone had hit the floor with the lifelike quality of the machine gun sound effects and they all looked incredulously at Neon. There were some teachers and students that even poked their head out of their classroom windows in alarm.

"Everything good out there?" Present Mic screamed down.

"Yeah. Sorry about the interruption!" Aizawa said and hee then turned to stare stonily at Neon, who winced and put up her hands.

"….Sorry?"

"Nishiyama…No more gun sound effects. Not just in school but for any public space," Aizawa said.

"Yes, Sensei."

The fitness test progressed without incident but that was mostly because Neon was out of saved sound bubbles. At least, ones that could help her anyways. She couldn't use her Quirk to help her with grip strength, side steps, or even the long jump. The more tests they went through, the heavier the realization that she was near the middle if not the bottom of the class in terms of physicality.

Sure, she was pretty limber and had better than average scores for a girl her age but she wasn't here to be average. She was here to be a hero.

She was definitely having some doubts about her own abilities and her place in this class but Neon knew this was something she needed to shake off. This was for Akia. Her own feelings be damned.

"Nishiyama. You're up!"

"Yes, Sensei," Neon mumbled as she took a softball from the teacher and weighed in her hands. She put her finger to throat and then snapped her fingers. She didn't throw the ball. Instead, she merely bounced it in her hand and when it was level to her lips, she let out a booming roar, " _I'M GOING TO BE A HERO WHETHER I LIKE IT OR NOT!"_

The trees that lined the other end of the field swayed by the force and the ball dropped in front of them.

 _Beep!_

"432 meters," the device read.

"...Don't you mean, 'whether _you_ like it or not', Nishiyama-san?" Midoriya asked with a perplexed look.

"Yeah…Sure," Neon replied as she stuffed her hands in her pockets.

"Oy...Nishiyama…" Aizawa said slowly, "A hero is a person with conviction. During a time of hardship, people look to heros for guidance and hope. Any signs of wavering or doubt will only breed panic and discord. You need to know exactly who you are and what you stand for. If you cannot do that even now, then you can just leave this class as there are many of your peers who can and do. Do not waste our time."

Neon sighed and the class balked at the clear disgruntlement on her face. This could end up into a philosophical discussion that she really did not want to waste her breath on but it was obvious she needed to give him an answer or else she'd seriously be on the chopping block.

 _Well,_ she thought to herself, _I might as well make myself heard now._

"I know who I am, Sensei," Neon said, "I'm Nishiyama Neon. I like to do things my way. I dislike being pitted against or compared to other. I find that competition does nothing but raise hostility and unneeded self doubt. I also dislike following orders blindly. I am not a robot...But most of all, I dislike it when people wait for others to do something they are just as capable of doing themselves. I am not the type to wait around for someone else to save the day...I'm also a person with conviction. I believe there will be a day, maybe several, when someone will need my help. That is why I'm here. To get the skills and experience I need to help...Even if it means shouldering the burden of being a hero…"

There was a long, drawn out moment of silence with Neon and her Sensei just staring solemnly at each other, mentally sizing the other one up.

"I see," Aizawa finally drawled out and then moved his eyes over to the class, "Hagakure. You're up."

Neon shuffled to the back of the group. There were several eyes on her but she ignored them and stared up at the sky. Normally, she'd be skipping class and walking down a street somewhere in the city either listening to music or just trying to find something interesting to record for Akia. She couldn't wait to get her hands on her headphones and just drown out the noise.

 _Yeah...I'll be a hero...Whether I like it or not..._


	5. Sounds Like the First Day of School II

**Ch 5 - Sounds Like the First Day of School II**

"Are you worried about how you're doing, Nishiyama-san?" Momo asked. The girl asked in such a delicate manner but it still made Neon shift away from her as a knee-jerk reaction. She had been too lost in her thoughts to even notice that Momo had come to stand next to her.

"...Ah…" Neon slowly admitted.

Momo gave a hopeful smile. "It's true you weren't able to use your Quirk to enhance yourself physically at every test but that was the case for several others as well, myself included. I think you should be safe."

"Thanks," Neon said, feeling her spirits slightly lifted by her classmate's words, "Would you mind if I called you Momo? Your last name is a mouthful."

Momo giggled. "Not at all! In turn, may I call you Neon then?"

Neon shrugged. "Sure."

Momo smile grew a bit bigger but then it wavered a little when she saw who was heading up for the ball toss. "Oh…" she whispered, "To be honest, I am more worried about Midoriya-san."

"Hrm?"

"He hasn't used his Quirk at all," Momo said in a hushed whisper.

"Of course he hasn't," Katsuki laughed, catching wind of their conversation, "He's a Quirkless scum."

"What?" Neon asked as Tenya also turned to Katsuki in surprise.

"Quirkless? That can't be possible. Did you not know what he did at the practical exam?!" Tenya asked.

"Huh?" Now it was Katsuki's turn to be at a loss.

"I've been so focused on my own results that I didn't really notice how everybody else did," Neon confessed and then she winced when she saw how badly Midoriya was sweating out on the field, "He looks nervous. Really nervous…"

As Midoriya drew back his arm, Neon could see red sparks that seem to grow and sparkle up his arm like veins or circuits but as he was just about to release the ball, it disappeared completely and the ball flopped to the ground in a pitiful fashion.

 _Beep!_

"45 meters."

"How is that possible?" Midoriya gasped as he turned to look at his teacher.

The scarf around Aizawa's neck had come loose and it was floating around him like a sentient being. The teacher's hair was also floating straight up and his eyes glowed red as they pierced directly into Midoriya's.

"I erased your Quirk," Aizawa said, "The entrance exam is not rational enough if even a kid like you can get in."

"You...erased my Quirk?" Midoriya repeated and then he took a step back, "Those goggles around your neck! I recognize them! You...You can erase other people's Quirks with your Quirk just by looking at them. The Erasure Hero: Eraser Head!"

"Eh? Eraser?" the class asked as they looked at one another to see if anyone else recognized that name.

"Eraser Head is an underground hero," Neon said, "I've heard two news stories about him before but nothing recent. He's not in the media much…"

"From what I can tell, you can't control your Quirk, can you?" Aizawa asked Midoriya, "Do you intend to become incapacitated again and have someone save you?"

"Th-that's not my intention!" Midoriya shouted.

Aizawa's scarf stretched forward and grabbed Midoriya, pulling him to his teacher. They were far enough away that the rest of the class couldn't hear what the teacher had to say but Neon could. Every word as if they were speaking directly in front of her.

"Whatever your intention, I'm saying that's what those around you will be forced to do," Aizawa said, "In the past, there was an oppressively passionate hero who saved over a thousand people by himself and created a legend. Even if you have the same reckless valor, you'll just be decked and turned into a useless doll after saving one person. Midoriya , with your power, you can't become a hero."

His scarf fell limp again and 's head lowered.

"I've returned your Quirk," Aizawa said, "You have two turns for the ball throw. Hurry up and get it over with."

Midoriya stepped back to the circle and he started to mumble to himself. Neon found herself intrigued by this development. Was he actually Quirkless as Noisy Boy said or was it as the teacher said? Did he have such a powerful Quirk that if he used it, it would cause a huge blowback for him?

After a long moment of thinking, Midoriya drew back his arm one more time and he threw the ball with all his might. This time, Neon saw no red sparks but something definitely happened because the ball practically rocketed out into the sky.

"SMAAAAASH!" Midoriya yelled.

 _Beep!_

"705.3 meters."

"Sensei…" said as he shakily lifted his arm and clenched his fist, "I can still move!"

Neon stared hard at his fist. One of his fingers was definitely discolored. _Blowback?_

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!"

Neon stifled a groan and resorted to covering her ears with her hands as Katsuki stormed to with his hand outstretched.

"Tell me what's going on, Deku, you bastard!" Katsuki screamed but before he could get close enough to he was pulled back by their teacher's scarf, "What the-? This cloth is hard!"

"They're weapons for capture made of carbon fiber woven together with metal wire made of a special alloy," Aizawa said and he scowled, "Jeez. Don't keep making me use my Quirk over and over."

Neon's eyebrow raised. _Is there side effects from using his Quirk too much?_

"I have naturally dry eyes," Aizawa said point blank and it made Neon stagger a little.

 _That's it?_

He released his student and shook his head. "Alright. Everybody, let's move on to the next test."

The rest of the day progressed without anymore hiccups and Neon discovered that she had a lot more stamina than most people in her class during the long, endurance run. She chalked it up to all of the running around she did - collecting audio samples all across the country, as well as chasing after Akia around in the gardens when she was at home. But then again, she had also grown up learning basic self defense and how to efficiently escape.

"Okay...Let me announce the results," Aizawa said, "The total is simply the marks you got from each test. It's a waste of time to explain verbally so I'll show you the results all at once."

He pressed a button and the results flashed as a projection in front of him. Neon's throat tightened the further her eyes went down the list.

 _Nishiyama Neon...15…_

She closed her eyes and her shoulders slumped down with relief. _Close one._

The projection disappeared and Aizawa put the device back in his pocket. "By the way, I was lying about the expulsion."

Neon's eyes widened and her eyebrows almost flew off her head.

"It was a rational deception to draw out the upper limits of your Quirks," Aizawa said with a laid back smile.

"WHAAAAAT?!" the class gasped while started to wobble.

"Of course it was a lie!" Momo sighed, "It was obvious if you think about it."

"I didn't notice," the rest of the class gasped while Neon only frowned and looked skeptically at her teacher. She thought she had a pretty good sense when someone was lying...And it really did not sound like a lie to her.

"Well, we're done here!" Aizawa said as he started to walk back to the school building, "There's a couple of handouts in the classroom about the curriculum. So when you get back, look over them. Dismissed. Oh! Midoriya. Go to the nurse's office to get yourself fixed. Tomorrow will be packed with even more rigorous tests."

The more she watched Aizawa, the more confused she felt about what he said about expulsion. Without hesitation, she started to chase after him. "Aiza-"

"Aizawa...You liar."

Neon's mouth clamped shut just as Aizawa rounded the corner of the building and out of sight. She was several feet away so any normal person would assume she was out of earshot but the voice just then was not a normal person. She could recognize All Might's voice anywhere. Neon hurriedly ducked out of the way so as not to be seen if either of the two should look around the corner.

"You punished a whole class of last year's class with expulsion. You cut those you judge to be without potential without any hesitation," All Might continued, "For a man like that to take back his words...That must be because you also felt the potential of that kid, right?"

"Also?..." Aizawa shot back, "You seem to be paying extra attention to that kid. Is that how a teacher should be acting? His potential was not zero. That's how all there is. I always cut those I find without potential."

"Ah! Nishiyama-chan! We're heading in now!" Ochaco shouted and Neon quickly shot up to her feet.

"Y-Yep! Coming!" Neon said as she ran to catch up with the girls and hope the world's greatest hero did not discover her eavesdropping.

 _All Might has his eye on Midoriya-san...I wonder why?,_ Neon thought to herself as she changed back into her school uniform.

When she got back to the classroom to retrieve her stuff, Tenya was already at the front of the classroom handing out the printouts to his fellow classmate. Some had already taken off but there were still a few that were taking their time in leaving.

"Here is the curriculum for this semester. Please take this and review it in full," Tenya instructed.

"Want to take the train home together?" Neon asked as she took a sheet and folded it in half.

"What? No helicopter or fancy car to come pick you up?" Denki teased as he packed up his things.

"Helicopters are only for family emergencies," Neon replied and went to her desk to retrieve her backpack.

"S-Seriously!" Mina and Denki shouted, "You actually have a helicopter?!"

Neon shrugged. 'It comes in handy."

"Oh. Yeah...Cuz that's why we don't have a helicopter in our house," said a boy with red hair whose name Neon remembered was Kirishima Eijiro, "Because we like to drag things out."

Neon's eyes crinkled up by a growing smile that then became a full laugh. "Your sarcastic tone is noted," she said with the smile still spread on her face.

Tenya's jaw dropped and he adjusted his glasses with both hands on the sides of his frames to get a better look at the girl who he had rarely seen laugh before. It had been a long time.

When she saw his stance, Neon's expression went back to it's usual blank state and she blinked. "Is something wrong?"

"N-Nothing, Nishiyama-san," Tenya said, "I've just never seen you socialize with other classmates this well before."

Neon frowned and contemplated his words. "The opposite can be said too, Iida-kun. I don't think people dislike me as much here."

Tenya put a hand to his chin. It took a moment for him to realize she was right. Normally, people would be put off by how freely Neon used her Quirk and her disregard for rules and decorum. Himself being one of those people initially. However, since this was a specialized course where they were allowed, if not encouraged, to use their Quirks as part of their education, it definitely helped ease the oddity of meeting Neon for the first time, "I see your point, Nishiyama-san."

Still, Neon's distance from people was partially voluntary as well and Tenya was well aware of it. Too well aware as.

 _-Flashback: Tenya & Neon: Age 7-_

"This is bad...Isn't it?" Neon said as she stared helplessly in her soft, little hands where two small bubbles rested gently on her palms.

They were sitting in the park with two black suited bodyguards flanking them on either side of the swing set. Despite Neon's request for them to help push, they stood there like statues with their eyes forward and their hands clasped in front of them. Both of their families were late in picking them up from school so Neon had made the decision to wait for them in the park. The teachers were hesitant at first but then gave in when Neon pointed out that she had two fully trained protectors at her side, which was safer than anything the teachers could provide.

"I do not get it," Tenya said as he popped one of them with his own finger and listened to the faint sounds of birds chirping, "Why is it bad? It doesn't hurt anyone."

"But...it doesn't help either," Neon whispered and her head hung lower, "It's not a useful Quirk..Mother and Father will be disappointed. You're lucky, Tenya-kun. You have the same Quirk as your brother. I wish I did too…"

The little boy couldn't help but puff out his chest. He powered up his legs and used the trajectory to push his swing forward. "I'm not as fast as Nee-san yet but just you wait. Someday, I'll be just like him!"

"Lucky…" Neon whispered. Tears started to fall down her cheek. Her Quirk was late in developing but she had held on hope. Her brother had inherited his father's ability to crystalize things and Neon knew how much that pleased her Father. Not a lot made him him happy these days, at least around her...But to think that this was the Quirk she had gotten. She knew of all the Quirks she could have inherited, her late-mother's was the one that would displease Father the most.

"Eh? Necchan!" Tenya jumped off his swings and he ran over to her when he saw her crying, "Why are you sad?!"

"I want to...I want to be useful," she whimpered as she covered her face with her hands, letting the last bubble fly up into the sky, "I...want to make Mother and Father happy…"

 _Pfft! Pfft! Slam!_

"Eh?!" Tenya gasped as two large men came charging out from the bushes. One bodyguard fell face first to the ground with two darts in his neck while the other was flattened and pinned to the ground by an unseen weight.

"Tenya-kun! RUN!" Neon gasped as she jumped off the swings and grabbed Tenya's hand, sprinting away but she barely made it two steps before being lifted up into the air.

"Necchan?!" Little Tenya shouted, losing his grip on her, "What's going on?"

"Tenya-kun! They're kidnappers! Run!" Neon screamed.

"They?" Tenya gasped, too frozen in shock and fear to move. A shadow loomed over him and he looked over to see a thin man with elongated pursed lips like a seahorse.

"Smart kid….," the seahorse man said, "She knew it wasn't just you."

Someone above Neon's head clucked his tongue. "Tch. Just shut up and get rid of the boy. We only need-"

 _Thwack!_

With his attention on his partner, he did not expect the little girl to fling her head backwards, headbutting him squarely in the nose.

"MOTHER-!" the man holding Neon materialized, his mirror-like skin flipping into normal flesh as he grabbed his nose, that was spilling out with blood instinctively. Thus, dropping the girl, who wasted no time. As soon as her feet hit the ground, she kicked hard off the ground and launched her head right into the pucker mouth's stomach.

"Ooof," the man grunted but the child's force was not strong enough. He grabbed her by the shoulders and then held her with just one arm, pinning her to his side, "Stop fighting, you little brat!"

"RUN! Tenya-kun! Get help!" Neon screamed as her legs flailed out behind her, trying with all her strength to get away.

"Necchan?" Tenya whispered.

"Use your Quirk! Just like your brother!" Neon yelled and something clicked inside the boy's head.

To be like his brother, he needed to do all that he could help. Tenya charged up his legs but instead of running away, he mimicked what the little girl had done but with a hundred times more force.

"Not so fast," the bloody-nosed man growled as he reached over to grab Tenya but the boy was too fast.

"GAHHHHH!" the pucker mouth gasped as Tenya's head struck hard, cracking ribs and knocking the air out of his lungs. Neon rolled to the floor and this time it was the boy who took her hand. He pulled her up, put her on his back, and then ran towards the exit.

"Hang on, Necchan! Hang-"

 _Pfft!_

Something sharp hit Tenya right in the back of his upper thigh and suddenly, his whole body went numb. His engines slowed and he fell on his knees.

"Eh?!" Neon gasped and she turned to see the pucker mouth with his fingers pinching his lips tightly.

"My darts can put even a charging rhino to sleep," the man coughed as he got to his feet, "You're fast, kid. I'll give you that...but not fast enough…"

"Tenya-kun! Wake up! Wake up!" Neon cried frantically as she tried to shake him awake, "WAAAKEEE UPPP!"

The kidnappers closed in on the kids but the girl would not leave the boy's side. She stuck her arms out and lifted her chin defiantly at the kidnappers. Her lips quivered with fear, which reflected in her eyes but she did not budge. If they were going to dispose of Tenya, they would have to get through her.

"Silly kid…" the bloody-nosed man grunted as he held back an arm in preparation to backhand the girl.

 _THWACK! BAM!_

Suddenly, the kidnappers were shooting backwards and away from each other with their faces dented in from opposite sides of their cheeks.

"Sorry I'm late…I got held up at work..."

Neon cried with relief before she even looked up at the hero. The voice was enough for her to recognize Tenya's brother. She watched as Ingenium went over to the kidnappers and tied them up with rope. He then took out his phone.

"Hello. This is the pro hero, Ingenium. I'd like to report a crime at the Nishiyama Park," he said, "Two attempted kidnappers. The children are safe. I will stay here and help facilitate...Yes...Yes. Thank you."

He hung up and then walked over to her. He crouched over his little brother and pulled the dart out of his leg. He then turned to Neon. "Are you hurt anywhere? Did they hit you guys?"

"I'm sorry. I-I-I put Tenya-kun in danger" Neon whispered, "I shouldn't have-"

A warm hand was placed on her head and she looked up at Tensei, who smiled gently at her. "This is not your fault, Neon-chan...You did everything you could, right?"

Neon nodded. "But it wasn't enough. We couldn't even get out of the park..."

"You delayed them long enough for me to arrive," Tensei said, "And that's pretty amazing."

Neon gulped. "Was I useful?"

Tensei nodded. "Ah...You were definitely useful."

 _-Present Day-_

Ever since that day, Neon requested that he never call her Necchan again. In turn, she referred to him as just his last name. They also stopped hanging out and she was more hesitant to engage with anyone...Even so, even with the decision to hide any sort of familiarity between the two, she still referred to him as 'kun'. Maybe it was her way of subtly hanging onto that brief moment of friendship they had. Maybe it was a way of a small token of her apology for putting him in danger in the first place. Whatever the case, their relationship had changed since that day and was never the same.

At least...until now...

"Have you finished handing out the paper?' Neon asked as she slung her backpack over her shoulder and placed her headphones around her neck, "Can we leave now?"

Tenya looked down at his hands and his eyes widened. "Ah! There is still one copy that I have not yet handed out yet! Is there anyone who didn't come to the classroom yet? Or did Aizawa Sensei make extra copies?!"

"It's that Midoriya guy," the boy with the red hair said, "He was sent to see Recovery Girl."

"Oh! Yes!" Tenya said, "I will wait for him here then when he is done and make sure he gets this. I did an initial reading of our curriculum and we have a lot of difficult subjects we will be covering. As expected of such an elite school."

Neon stretched her arms over her head and slipped her headphones over her ears. "Okay," she yawned, "I'll just wait for you out front then. Bye, Mina. Bye, Denki. Bye, Cool Hair. Bye, Funny Guy. See you guys tomorrow. "

"W-Wait! Am I Funny Guy or Cool Hair?!" the boy in red hair shouted to Neon but her music was already playing and she had one foot out the door.

Mina giggled and pointed to Shoto, who had been neatly folding his tracksuit before putting it in his bag, "I think cool hair guy is Todoroki-kun. Sorry, Kirishima-kun."

"What?! I have cool hair too!" the boy in red hair yelled.

" _Needless to say, I keep her in check / She was all bad-bad, nevertheless (yeah) / Callin' it quits now, baby, I'm a wreck (wreck) / Crash at my place, baby, you're a wreck (wreck)"_

Outside the front steps of the school, Neon sat on the edge of the top step while humming along to her music. Her feet tapped to the rhythm while her head bounced steadily along too. Her eyes were closed and she was firmly immersed in the song until she heard the reverberations of someone tapping on the sound bubble she had encased herself in.

 _Donk. Donk._

She opened her eyes and then made her bubble disappear when she saw it was Tenya and Midoriya.

"All done?" she asked.

"Thank you for waiting," Tenya said.

Neon got to her feet, pulled her headphones down, and she nodded over at the wrapped up finger on Midoriya right hand. "All healed?"

"Ah!" Midoriya took several steps back and his face started to redden. "Y-Yes."

Neon tilted her head to the side. "Do I make you uncomfortable?"

Midoriya's head shook furiously. "N-No! Not at all."

"Your voice says otherwise," Neon said with a raised eyebrow as she walked past the guys and headed for the gate, "But that's okay. I'm going to guess this is more due to my gender than my personality."

"Indeed," Tenya said, "Or it could be that you scolded Midoriya-kun during the entrance exam presentation."

Neon stopped in her tracks. "Oh yeah…" she said and then looked over her shoulder at Midoriya, "You were being loud."

Midoriya's head hung in shame. "Yes...I apologize!"

"Forgiven," Neon said.

As the three walked towards the school gates, Neon was just about to start up her music again when Tenya broke the silence.

"I was really taken in by Aizawa Sensei," Tenya said, "I even thought 'this is the best of the best' and such. I didn't think a teacher would encourage us with a lie."

Neon debated telling him what she had overheard but then held her tongue. Telling him would mean revealing who she heard it from and she would rather keep that part to herself until had more information. Of all the noises and sounds Neon disliked, it was baseless rumors and hearsay that topped the list.

"Heyyyy! You guys! Wait for me!"

Neon stopped and turned, recognizing Ochaco's voice, and so did the boys. They waited for her to catch up to them. When she did, Neon tilted her head. "Are you heading to the station too?"

"Yep! Can I tag along with you guys, Neon?"

"Of course," Neon replied.

"You...You are Urarako Ochaco-chan, yes? You and and Nishiyama-san are already on a first name type of relationship?" Tenya gasped as his hands thrusted every which way, "How is that possible?"

Ochaco giggled. "Yes. I'm Uraraka Ochaco," she said, "Iida Tenya-kun and you are Midoriya Deku-kun. Yes?"

Midoriya's whole body stiffened. "Deku?!"

"Huh? But during the fitness test, the boy named Bakugo said, 'Deku, you bastard!'. Isn't that your name?" Ochaco asked.

"U-Uh...My real name is Izuku but D-Deku is waht Kacchan calls me to make fun of me…" Midoriya said with a blush to his cheeks.

"It's an insult?" Tenya asked.

Neon snorted. "Sounds like something Noisy Boy would do...But Deku doesn't sound like an insult to me. What convoluted logic did Noisy Boy spew for that name?"

"'Deku'...He said 'Deku' was short for the Kanji way of saying 'the one who can't do anything,'" Midoriya confessed with his head hung low.

"That is a real stretch," Neon said, "He's really bad at insults."

"Is that right?" Ochaco said as she scratched the back of her head, "I'm sorry. My mistake...but to me, 'Deku' sounds like the Kanji way of saying 'You can do it'! So...I kinda like it."

"Please call me Deku!" Midoriya yelled out, his whole face completely red again.

"Midoriya-kun?!" Tenya shouted in surprise, "You're accepting it way too easily! Wasn't that an insult?"

Midoriya covered his hands with his face. "It's like a Copernican Revolution!"

"Cope?" Ochaco asked as Neon snorted.

She put on her headphones and played a new song on her phone.

" _And they called it puppy loooooove / Oh I guess they'll never know"_

Suddenly, a black car skidded to a halt in front of the gate and the driver ran out of it to open the passenger door and bowed to them.

"Ojou-san, please get in the car."

"O...jou...san?" Midoriya asked and then he gaped at Neon, "A-Are you some type of heiress?!"

Neon threw her head back and groaned at the sky. This had Koushi written all over it. It was their family driver so she knew it was safe but still, they had protocols in place and she had to follow it. One can never be too careful, especially when it came to the safety of her sister.

She fished out her phone and dialed her brother's number. "You sent the car?" she asked as soon as he picked up.

"Hello to you too. How was school?" he asked back.

"Why'd you send the car?"

"It is vital for you to return home as soon as possible. I allowed you to take public transportation this morning as you would be escorted by young Iida but-"

"How's Akia?"

"She's fine. She's just been asking for you," he said.

"Fine. I'll take the car but first...code word?"

"Code word?" Midoriya and Ochaco repeated.

"I do not wish to speak it," Koushi said stiffly.

Neon smirked. Thas was exactly why she picked it. How else was she to to know if the other person was okay or if they've been compromised if they didn't choose something that either of them would never say otherwise? They agreed to it and Koushi knew what he had to do.

"Fine…" Koushi sighed and then he mumbled under his breath in one swoop, "Feelthebeatandlet'sgethype."

"Okay. I'll get in the car." She hung up the phone and she shrugged at her confused classmates. "Looks like I have to go. Need a lift to the station?"

"It's okay," Tenya said, "I don't want to delay your return home."

"Okay," Neon said as she climbed into the car, "If you're sure."

"Go ahead. We'll see you tomorrow," Tenya said.

As the car sped off, Tenya saw that Midoriya and Ochaco were still in the dark of what happened.

"The children of the Nishiyama family has a history of being kidnapped," Tenya explained, "That's why there are specific precautions that Nishiyama-san takes at all times."

"Seriously?! That's so scary!" Ochaco exclaimed.

"To have to experience that multiple times must be very traumatizing, especially if it happens at a very early age," Midoriya mumbled to himself, "It will explain why she feels the need to have those sound bubbles near her at all times and why her reflexes are pretty fast."

"Oh...I never thought of it that way. I just thought those bubbles were cute," Ochaco said while Midoriya jumped up in surprise, not knowing he had spoken those thoughts out loud.

Then Ochaco gasped, "Ah! That must also be why she constantly sends texts to her little sister, to check if she is okay."

"Ah...Yes...That's one reason," Tenya said.

"One reason?" Midoriya asked.

"I'm sorry. I've already divulged too much on Nishiyama-san's private matters!" Tenya shouted and then he bowed, "Please keep what I told you to yourselves."

Midoriya and Ochaco shared a look and then they smiled at Tenya.

"Of course, Iida-kun," Ochaco said.


	6. Sounds Like a Training Exercise I

**Ch 06 - Sounds Like A Training Exercise I**

"Whyyyyy? Iida-kun! Tell me why!" Neon moaned with her head down on the cafeteria table with her plate of tempura resting next to her head untouched, "Why did I have to sit through a morning of boring classes while I listened to things I already know?!"

Both Ochaco and Midoriya looked past their food at Tenya, who was halfway through his plate of beef stew. He lowered his spoon and sighed. "I'm sorry, Nishiyama-san, but you have to or else they will not allow you to take the Hero Basic Training in the afternoon."

"Why won't the teachers listen to reason?" Neon groaned as she covered her ears with her hands. She had to make due with this sensation for now because Present Mic confiscated them after she tried to listen to music during English class, "I can't listen to this boring drivel. It will drive me crazy. CRAZY!"

"Do you really know all the material already?" Ochaco asked.

"Yeah...," Neon sighed and then she glared at the boy in glasses, "This is all your fault, Iida-kun!"

"Yes, I apologize," Tenya said as he bowed his head.

"How is it Iida-kun's fault?" Midoriya asked.

"Because he told me to read as many books as I can in his family's library to prepare for the entrance exams!" Neon yelled.

"So?" Ochaco asked.

Tenya lowered his head even more. "I sincerely apologize! I thought it would be better to over prepare for an entrance exam of this school's caliber!"

"I'm still confused," Ochaco said.

Neon pointed at her ears. "I remember everything I hear...I think it's part of my Quirk but I never really looked into it."

"I see," Midoriya said, "So if you just read out loud a book-"

"I remember everything in it," she finished, slightly taken aback by how quickly Midoriya caught on to that, "So when I study, I just have to read outloud what is in front of me and I'll remember it...And Iida-kun's family library has a lot of books. A lot. Including past textbooks from his brother's time at UA. For all three years."

"...How far did you get into?" Midoriya asked.

Neon glared at Tenya. "You tell them."

Tenya gulped. "By...by the time I realized to stop Nishiyama-san...She was already halfway through the English material we'd be learning in our 3rd year."

"THIRD YEAR?!" Ochaco and Midoriya exclaimed.

"Too loud!" Neon moaned, "But yes...which means I'm going to have to sit through at least 4 hours of mind numbing lectures for the next 2 years minimum. 2 years! That's a death sentence."

"But...But at least that means you don't have to worry about written exams for the next 2 years, right?" Ochaco said with as much positivity as she could muster.

"Yeah...That's true," Neon said.

"Maybe after class you can try talking to the principal," Midoriya suggested, "Maybe he and the teachers can figure out an alternate curriculum for you? It might be the only thing that's keeping you in this year is your hero experience. Otherwise, any normal school would have you skip a year or two."

Neon sat up and she blinked. "You think that'll work?"

"You have a strong case. You are the first student in 10 years to get a perfect score on the written entrance exam after all," Tenya said.

"YOU GOT WHAT?!" Ochaco and Midoriya shouted in unison.

"Keep your voices down...but yes. I got a perfect score. Don't make a big deal out of it. If you were a human tape recorder, you could do it too," Neon said as she wrinkled her nose but then she lowered her hands from her ears. She grabbed her chopsticks and began to eat her food with zeal, "Alright, I'll talk to the principal after class. Although, I kind of wish he doesn't put me into another class. I just learned everyone's names!"

"So you want to stay in the class but you don't want to...be...in the class...either?" Ochaco asked, getting more confused by the second.

"Nishiyama-san," Tenya said, "You can't have it both ways."

"I know," Neon grumbled.

After lunch, the group returned to their class and they all waited with baited breath for their first Hero Basic Training lesson. No one made a noise. There was too much anticipation and excitement not just over what they were about to learn but which pro hero was selected to teach them.

"I….AMMMMM…." a familiar roar boomed through the hallway and Neon's eyes widened.

 _Slam!_

"COMING THROUGH THE DOOR LIKE A NORMAL PERSON!" screamed the world's greatest hero as he leaned in the open door frame with his blue cape billowing majestically behind him.

"It's All Might!" Denki gasped.

"Wow, he really _is_ a teacher!" the boy in the red hair, who Neon learned during math class was named Kirishima Eijirou.

"Yes!" All Might said as he marched to the front of the room and put his hands on his hips, "I teach Hero Basic Training. It is a subject where you train in different ways to learn the basic of being a hero! You'll take the most units of this subject! Let's get right into it! This is what we'll do today!"

He reached behind his cape and then pulled out a white card with the word 'BATTLE' printed on it in bold red letters. "YES! COMBAT TRAINING!"

Neon inhaled slowly. _Yes. This is what she needed to learn._

"And with that...comes this!" All Might roared and pointed to the wall next to him.

The sounds of gears clicking into place followed by the whirring of engines came through the wall and then metal shelves begin to pull out from the wall revealing suitcases numbered from 1 to 21 on them.

"Costumes made based on your Quirk registrations and requests you sent before school started," All Might announced.

"Woooooow!" the class cheered.

"Yes. They costumes are assigned by your seat number. After you have changed, gather in Ground Beta!" All Might said, "Young men, you can change in the classroom next door. It is empty today. Young ladies, you can change here. Ready? Go!"

Desks were practically flung across the room as the most eager and energetic students clamored over each other to get to their suitcases. Neon took her time and waited for everyone to grab their's. She sat at her desk and she noticed that the boy in front of her did the same.

She poked his sides with a pencil to get his attention but she didn't wait for him to turn around to look at her. "You're not eager to see your costume?" she asked.

"It's not going anywhere," he replied, "There's no need to rush...and don't poke me."

"Then how am I supposed to get your attention?" Neon asked.

"...Just call me by my name...Todoroki Shoto...and my hair's not cool."

"It's up for interpretation," Neon said. She saw that the crowd had spread out. She got up from her seat and she headed towards the suitcase marked '16'. When she got there she grabbed it as well as the one with '15' on the front. She went over and handed it to Todoroki, "Here you go."

"Thanks," he said. He got up from his desk but just as he was about to leave, he stopped and turned to her, "Did...did you really get full marks on the written exam?"

Neon nodded. "Yeah. Why?"

"Impressive," was all he said and then he left the room.

"Hurry up and change!" Ochaco said as she ran to Neon with her suit in hand, "Oh! I can't wait to see what everyone wears!"

"Ah! Is that your suit?!" Mina exclaimed, eyeing the pale pink color, "That's so cute, Uraraka-chan!"

 _Click!_

Neon opened her suitcase and her heart pounded in her chest when she saw her suit. The first thing she took out of it was a sleek and shiny black helmet with white circles around the ears, mimicking headphones. Neon stared at her reflection against the black visor. _This is me…_

"Whoa! SO COOL!" the girl with the long ears named Kyoka Jiro shouted as she ran over to Neon. She was already in her costume, which was a leather jacket over a salmon pink shirt, black pants, and combat boots.

"Thanks," Neon said as she set her helmet down and took off her blazer, "My sister designed the look for me...She likes to draw. You look pretty cool too. Like you're ready to rock the stage."

Jiro's face turned pink. "Really?! That's exactly the look I was going for. Look!"

She slammed her foot up on the desk for Neon to see the speakers embedded into the heels, "I even had them install this! To help boost my sound."

"Oh yeah…" Neon said, "Your Quirk is also sound based. We can work pretty well together."

Jiro smirked, showing a trace of sharp teeth that made her look viciously fierce. "Yeah, I think so too."

Neon shed off the rest of clothes and put on her suit. It was a black bodysuit with bright pink, green, and yellow stripes running up the side of her arms and legs. On her shoulders were small metallic speakers that faced forward and on her stomach were square buttons. There were four buttons on each side of her stomach and if the costume makers made it according to Akia's direction, it would light up in different neon colors when pressed as well but those buttons weren't there for decoration. Neon fished inside her pocket to find the audio jack and she plugged it into her phone that could connect her suit to it. She stepped into her black sneakers and put her phone in her pocket.

"Alright...Let's test this out," she said as she put her helmet over her head and touched the circular buttons on the side.

 _Pop!_

" _If I sound lazy, just ignore my tone / Cause I'm always gonna answer when you call my phone / Like what's up, danger? (Danger)"_

Neon smiled behind her helmet as she saw the stripes on her bodysuit light up with the beat of the music. Her fellow classmates turned to her in surprise but as the music played on in the classroom, the atmosphere changed from excitement to that of confidence.

 _Perfect._

* * *

"They say the clothes make the man, young men and ladies!" All Might shouted with his ever gleaming smile as the students gathered at the designated spot and stepped forth into the sun in their new attire, "Be fully aware...From now on...you are heroes! Now...shall we begin, you zygotes?!"

Neon looked around and saw that they were in a mock city similar to where she had her practical exam. She walked a couple of steps back to get a wider view but then something else caught her eye. Midoriya's costume also had a helmet component but his helmet had two spike like things poking out of it's head and a metal teeth-like grill that lined the bottom. She blinked and then looked over at All Might, who's hair and smile held a similar shape.

 _Midoriya really is a fan boy..._

"Now it's time for combat training!" All Might said.

A black gloved hand shot up into the air. "Sensei!" Tenya called out from under his white costume that heavily resembled his own brother's, "This is a battle center from the entrance exam, so will we be conducting urban battles again?"

"No, we're going to move ahead two steps," All Might said, "Most of the time, fighting villains takes place outside, but if you look at the total numbers, atrocious villains appear indoors at a higher rate. Imprisonment, house arrest, backroom deals...In this society filled with heroes, truly intelligent villains hide in the shadows."

He went on to explain the rules. They were to split into two groups - villains and heroes. The villains and heroes were to fight 2-on-2 in an indoor battle. The mock scenario was that the villains have a nuclear weapon somewhere in the hideout. The heroes mission is to try to dispose of the weapon. The heroes need to either catch the villains or get the nuclear weapon back in the allotted time to win. Meanwhile, the villains would need to protect the nuclear weapon for the whole time or catch the heroes.

"Teams and opponents will be determined by drawing lots!" All Might said, "And since your class has 21 people, one of you will be unpaired but we will get to that part once everyone else is assigned!"

Neon reached into the box and took out the letter 'K'. She held it up and waited for her partner to arrive. One by one, everyone paired up except for her. Neon looked down at the ball and then at their teacher.

"All Might Sensei," she said as she held up the ball even higher, "I'm the odd one out."

"Indeed you are, Young Nishiyama! So for you, you can decide...either pick you let me draw a team randomly for you to become a 3 person team with, not knowing who you will be up against or who you will be paired up with or...you can wait until the end, watch how each of the teams did, and go up against the winning team that claimed victory the fastest," All Might said, "But you must make your decision now."

"Eh? Why not just stick her into a random team of two?!" Denki asked, "Isn't that way easier?"

"Much like heroes often get paired up with each other on the fly, more often than not, a hero must decide whether to wait for reinforcements or to go in on their own. That is also a type of combat training," All Might said, "So Young Nishiyama, what will your decision be?"

Neon stuffed her hands in her pocket and thought it over. If she became part of a team now, she would have the advantage of having two other people to work with. However, if she waited until the end, she would be able to have seen everyone's Quirks and battle tactics. The answer was clear.

"I'll wait and fight on my own," Neon said.

"What?! Why would you choose that?" Denki shouted, "Having more people means you have more power."

"'If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles,'" Neon recited.

"Eh?" Denki asked.

"Knowledge is power if used correctly," Neon said.

"Well said, Young Nishiyama," All Might said, "Okay, everybody. I drew up the matchups randomly and the first ones up are Team A versus Team D! Team A will be the heroes and Team D will be the villains. Both teams get ready while the rest of you head to the monitor room."

"Yes, Sensei!"

Neon approached Tenya while everyone else walked towards the building at the center of the city that housed the surveillance room. He was on Team D as villains with Katsuki and they were to go against Midoriya and Ochaco, posing as heroes. "You going to be okay?"

"Oh! Nishiyama-san! That's your costume?! It's cool," Midoriya exclaimed.

Neon gave a nod of thanks but directed her attention back to Tenya, who jutted out his hands. "Yes. It will be difficult to think of myself as a villain but I will persevere for this training exercise."

"I don't mean that…" Neon said and she turned to Katsuki, "I mean...being teamed up with him."

"HUH?! What's that supposed to mean?!" Katsuki yelled, "Just because you have a helmet on doesn't mean you're still now a stupid dye job!"

Neon shuddered. "Iida-kun, if it helps with getting into character...I would want to end the world too if I had to work alongside Noisy Boy."

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!"

"A-Amazing...Nishiyama-san has no qualms about teasing Kacchan...That's UA for you. Amazing people…" Midoriya mumbled and Neon clapped a hand on his shoulder.

"I'll be cheering for your team, Midoriya," she said solemnly, "Do your best."

"Eh?! But aren't you good friends with Iida-kun?!" Ochaco said while Tenya adjusted his glasses.

"No. I understand. I am a villain now. I should not have any public support for this type of behavior," Tenya said.

Ochaco snorted. "You're taking this too seriously!"

 _Sorry, Iida-kun..._ Neon thought as she headed towards the monitor room, _I just really want to see them shut Noisy Boy up..._

* * *

Neon leaned against the wall in furthest corner of the room while she watched along with the rest of the class in tense silence. Her helmet was off and she was holding it against her hip. She wanted to make sure she was watching everything clearly.

This might have been a mock scenario but the battle between Midoriya and Katsuki was real. Too real. They could only watch in silence since the cameras had no mics attached to them. The only person who could hear was the teacher, who had a feed for him to speak with his students and stop them should the fight get out of hand. Although, there were several times Neon thought that line was crossed, the teacher still remained silent.

Katsuki's face on the monitors was already bordering maniacal and he had managed to blast away multiple walls of an entire floor, including an entire corner of the floor. His suit was definitely made to enhance not just the strength of his Quirk but also the distance as well.

Neon watched as Midoriya and Katsuki ran up to one another but just as Midoriya was about to block a punch from Katsuki straight on, Katsuku launched himself up and over Midoriya's head, using his blasts to change his trajectory in midair. He fired a blast to Midoriya's back and sent the boy flying forward.

"He doesn't look like the type to think but he's more subtle than I expected," Neon heard Todoroki murmur and she couldn't but agree.

"Getting in a clean hit requires fine lateral adjustments to the power of the explosions," Momo added.

"He's talented...Too talented," Denki sighed.

 _Noisy Boy is not just a one trick pony,_ Neon said as she stood up and took a step closer to the monitor, _I need to watch my classmates a little more closely and assume nothing._

Katsuki was still on the offense and it was clear he was not only hitting hard but hitting fast.

"He's not giving Midoriya time to think," Neon murmured, too invested in what she was seeing to keep her thoughts to herself, "Clearly, he realizes that Midoriya's biggest strength is his analytical mind."

"Eh? Midoriya has a good brain?" Mina asked.

Neon nodded. "If you hear all his mutterings this morning when a new Sensei came into the room, you can tell that he knows a lot of information about them. Most of the information isn't widely made available so he had to have gotten it through his own deductions."

"It's true. He did mutter a lot about our teachers when they came in for our morning classes," admitted a boy with purple balls for hair named Mineta. He happened to be seated behind Midoriya during class, which was not good for him because he was very short for his age

"You can hear that all the way from the back of the room?" an invisible girl named Hagakure gasped.

Neon nodded.

"No wonder you complain we're noisy all the time," Mina laughed.

"You are…" Neon said, "Now quiet...I'm trying to watch."


	7. Sounds Like a Training Exercise II

**Ch 07 - Sounds Like a Training Exercise II**

"Hero team wins!"

"What the heck? The losers have barely a scratch on them and both winners are on the ground!"

"They lost the battle but won the war, huh?"

"Even though this is a training exercise, they held nothing back!"

The room was abuzz with Team A's shocking win. This whole time they had been watching the battle between Midoriya and Katsuki as if it was a 1-on-1 fight but instead of attacking Katsuki, Midoriya chose to use his Quirk to punch through three floors of the building. It created an opening for Ochaco to use her Zero Gravity Quirk and retrieve the weapon, claiming the victory.

While All Might went down to the battle ground and send Midoriya to get more medical attention from Recovery Girl, the rest of Class 1A were locked in heavy discussion about what had transpired.

"He had to go all out if he was up against someone like Bakugo!" Denki said.

"But All Might Sensei should've stopped them before it got to this point," Momo said, "Midoriya-san looks seriously injured."

"Naw! That was a manly fight!" Eijiro Kirishima said as he pumped his fist up in the air, "Sensei made the right call."

" _Gerro._ Weren't you the one who kept asking if he should stop them?" said the frog girl, who mentioned to the class that morning that she liked to be called Tsu.

Throughout everything, Neon kept quiet as she dissected everything internally. So many questions went through her head.

This battle was clearly personal for Midoriya and Katsuki. Given what Midoriya had said about Katsuki giving him the name Deku, she knew the relationship between him and Katsuki was tense but she didn't realize it was to that degree. What was it about Midoriya that triggered Katsuki so match? The anger was definitely one-sided and Midoriya wasn't the type to keep aggravating someone intentionally.

Also, given that they knew each other before high school, how did Katsuki not know Midoriya had a Quirk? Were they not close? But...they were close enough for Midoriya to call Katsuki 'Kacchan'.

Neon pushed these little curiosities out of her mind. She knew she had to focus on the training exercise as she had to learn all of her classmates' failures and successes. Their decisions and actions are the deciding factor on who she would be going up against but for some reason, her brain just kept going to Midoriya. There was something puzzling about him, which was totally opposite of his character. From what Neon could tell, Midoriya was a good-natured person, who was passionate and sincere about being a hero. He wasn't the type to have secrets.

 _Fwoomp!_

 _Clank!_

The sound of the automatic door sliding open behind her surprised her from her thoughts. She let out a little gasp and on instinct, a sound bubble emerged from her and she held up her fists in front of her face in a defensive stance and her helmet fell to the ground. It took her a second to realize it was Tenya, Ochaco, and Katsuki with All Might. They had returned to review their battle and for All Might to announce the next teams to go.

All Might's smile shined at her for a beat and then the hero let out a full laugh. "Ha! Sorry to startle you, Young Nishiyama. We have returned to review the battle and to announce the teams! Could you please release your bubble so that we may enter the room?"

"S-Sorry. Old habit," Neon mumbled as her hands fell to her side and the bubble vanished with a pop. She bent low to pick up her helmet and as she stood up, she intentionally directed her gaze at All Might, as not to make any eye contact with her fellow classmates.

She hadn't done that in a long time. It had been awhile since she had let her guard down that much. She was thankful none of her classmates were voicing their thoughts out loud but she was sure she startled many of them.

"Well! Let's begin our review of the first battle!" All Might shouted as he marched to the front of the room, "The Heroes have won the battle but with that said, the MVP for this round is Young Iida!"

"Eh?" the class murmured while Tenya's jaw dropped.

"It's not either Ochaco-chan or Midoriya-chan?" Tsu asked.

"Hrmmm. Well, why is that? Does anyone know?" All Might demanded.

Immediately, Momo's hand went right up. "Yes, All Might Sensei. That is because Iida-san adapted the most to the context of the training. From watching the match, it appears Bakugo-san acted on his own because of an obviously personal grudge...And as All Might Sensei said earlier, it is foolish to launch a large-scale attack indoors. In the same way, taking into consideration the damage he received, Midoriya's plan was also rash. As for Uraraka-san, she let her guard down mid-battle and her final attack was too reckless. If she treated the weapon as a real nuclear weapon, she would not have been able to do something so dangerous. Iida-san had prepared for his opponent's arrival and assumed it would be a fight over the weapon, which made him late in responding to the final attack. The hero team only won because they took advantage of the fact that this was training. They were practically breaking the rules."

"W-Well, Young Iida also has parts of him that could be more relaxed," All Might said with a waver to his voice, indicating to Neon that he had not expected any of the students to hit the nail right on the head, "But...well, that was correct. Great work, Young Yaoyorozu!"

The rest of the class gaped at Momo while Neon's lips twisted into a thoughtful frown.

 _If I go against her, it would be a battle of intellect as well as strength. I'll need to be careful._

"One must start with the basics to develop depth of learning. We must strive to devote ourselves wholeheartedly," Momo said with her hand on her hips, "Otherwise, we cannot become top heroes."

"Alright! Let's move on to the next group and a new location. Tackle this training after thinking about what we just talked about!" All Might said.

"Yes, Sensei!" the class exclaimed.

The next teams to go turned out to be Todoroki and Shoji versus Ojiro and Hagakure, with the latter team being the villains. After what happened in the first battle, Neon knew this one would not be as intense but she still kept her eyes peeled. She could not afford to miss a single detail.

"Ah! Hagakure is taking off her gloves and boots," Denki shouted as he pointed at the monitor, "She's going to be completely invisible!"

"Ahhhh?! What a waste," Mineta said with a defeated sigh, "If only the girls we can actually see had to do that too…"

 _Thwack!_

"What the hell are you saying?!" Jiro shouted and gave Mineta a hard punch across the face.

Neon's eyebrows raised as she stared at the small boy in a new light. _Must be careful of that one too...For an entirely different reason…_

"Now! Let's start the second indoor person-to-person combat training match!" All Might announced as he sprinted back into the room, "The timer starts...NOW!"

Shoji opened up his many tentacle-like arms with ears sprouting out at the tips. Then, a mouth appeared on one of them as Todoroki approached his partner. They could see that Shoji was saying something to Todoroki, who then walked deeper into the building.

Then, to everyone's confusion, Shoji exited the building and Todoroki raised up his right hand. Frosty air emerged from his palm and then he flattened it up against the wall.

"EH?!" the class gasped as the entire building was encased in thick ice. The opponents feet were stuck in place by it too so Todoroki easily walked past them to get to the weapon. It was a quick and overwhelming victory. His opponents never stood a chance.

"H-HERO T-T-TEAM WINS!" All Might announced through chattering teeth as everyone started to huddle together to keep warm. The chill from the ice had reached the monitor room.

Hearing that, Todoroki placed his left palm on the frozen weapon and the ice began to melt and slowly formed steam.

"W-Wow!" Sato shouted.

"What's up with that Quirk?" Denki asked.

"As expected of someone who got in through recommendations," Tsu said.

"Alright. Everyone return and let's review!" All Might shouted into the mic.

"What's to review? Todoroki won that single-handedly!' Sero gasped, "There was nothing anyone can do against it."

Neon sucked in a breath. There was no doubt in her mind with such a sudden victory that she would be up against this team.

 _What could I have done?,_ Neon thought to herself.

The rest of the training went by without as much shock as the first two battles but still, Neon took everything in quietly but with intense concentration. Each move and decision by her classmates were processed through her head and spat out with an idea of how to counter or an alternative option. It was like gathering multiple instruments and creating a symphony.

Neon knew she might not be the top of the class when it came to physicality but when it comes to improvising, she was confident she had them beat. Still, she was not here to flaunt her skills. She was here to improve and get stronger.

"Alright, Young Nishiyama! It is your turn now and you will be going up against Team B!" All Might declared and then he stuck his hands in the boxes to determine what roles they would play, "Ah! It seems luck is on your side, Young Nishiyama! Team B will resume as heroes again!"

Neon shrugged. "Villain. Hero...Doesn't matter. I aim to win."

"I know you're a girl, Nishiyama-san," Kirishima said with a grin, "But that's pretty manly."

Neon turned to Shoji and Todoroki and she bowed slightly. "I know you have already done this but please take this seriously. I will be doing my best and I hope you will be too."

"Ah," Shoji said while Todoroki continued to stare with a poker face.

"Very well. Please proceed to Building F! Team B, you will be Heroes again and Nishiyama-san, you will be the villain!" All Might shouted.

Neon nodded and then proceeded to the designated area. She was on the 6th floor of an empty building. It was much like the previous battle. She, too, had a papier-mache replica of a nuclear warhead behind her. She closed her eyes waiting for the timer to start.

"Ready? The battle begins…NOW!" All Might said.

 _Briiing! Bongggg! Wub wub wub wub wub!_

Neon's fingers danced around the buttons, playing beats like a DJ, and with each sound, she snapped her fingers and bubbles appeared out of the speakers on her shoulders. She moved both of her hands outwards and the bubbles spread to different corners of the building.

 _Snap!_

Various sounds erupted through different parts of the building. If they were trying to gauge her position, they would definitely not get to it with sound. However, she knew she was doing this purely out of precaution as Todoroki didn't need to know the previous location to immobilize the villains. On the flip side, Neon counted on the fact that the other team would not act so quickly as they did before. Only an idiot would try the same move twice and Todoroki was no idiot. Neon could tell.

That's why it was time to put her actual villainous plan in motion. She let out a long exhale and then moved the weapon to the corner of the room furthest from the windows but close to the door.

She let out another long exhale and pressed one of the buttons on her suit.

" _Eeeeee!"_

A high-frequency sound in low volume came out of her speaker and it formed into a bubble about the size of an apple.

Neon let out another breath and then it stopped short when she saw that she could see the actual warm air fogging out of her lips.

 _Todoroki's on the move!_

She snapped her fingers while touching the bubble with her right index finger. Suddenly, the bubble grew so large it almost took up almost the entire room, leaving just enough room for Neon to stand in the corner with the weapon.

 _Crash!_

As soon as the bubble was fixed into place, the windows glazed over with ice and then Todoroki came crashing through the middle window with his left hand covered in icy mist while Shoji came rushing in through the door but skidded to a halt immediately when he saw Neon's sound bubble.

"Todoroki, wait! Be careful of the bubble!" Shoji shouted just as Todoroki was about to land into the room.

Hurriedly, Todoroki grabbed the window frame with his right hand and balanced himself on it. He was a breath away from the bubble. A small piece of glass that did not break off from the window pane cut into his hand and a thin trickle of blood started to trickle down his arm.

Neon drew in a sharp breath and for a second her sound barrier wavered but she quickly collected herself. "That is a high frequency sound wave that will blow up this entire floor should you burst it," she warned, "It is not as sturdy as my sound barrier. Even a temperature drop from your ice attack can cause it to burst...It would damage not just me but the weapon too...If this was a real nuclear weapon, you would risk blowing up the entire city. Millions of lives are hypothetically at stake."

"What?! That's so extreme! Why would you go to this length?!" Shoji asked, "All Might Sensei already said it would be foolish to launch a full-scale attack indoors."

"But I'm not launching an attack. This is defense. Whether or not the sound bomb goes off...well, that's in your hands. The heroes," Neon said, "Your move."

"You..."

Shoji shot a stunned look over to his teammate. "Wh...What do we do?"

Todoroki's expression remained still but a bead of sweat rolled down the side of his face. He wasn't even looking at his partner, just staring directly at the opponent, as if trying to read her mind.

"Concede," Neon said, "Wrap yourself up with the capture tape or say you give up. Those are your only options."

Minutes rolled by with the heroes and villain at a stalemate with Neon shooting quick glances at Shoji every now and then but mostly keeping her focus on Todoroki, her biggest threat. This plan was a huge risk but it was the only one she could think of. She couldn't win in a straight forward fight with Todoroki so she had to resort to this. Mind games.

"...Ridiculous," Todoroki said finally breaking the silence and suddenly, ice stretched out from under his grip and it immediately covered the room and freezing Neon's feet into place. The sudden force and drop of temperature destroyed her sound bubble almost instantly.

" _Pop!"_

 _"EEEEEEE!"_

Instinctively, Shoji covered his ears with his hands and dropped down to the ground but Todoroki remained the same with just a thick layer of ice over his ears. The sound wave that burst through the room was the exact same level as when Neon first created it and she felt her stomach drop right down to her frozen feet.

"Eh?... That wasn't a loud sound at all…" Shoji said as he slowly got to his feet while Todoroki calmly crossed over to Neon.

"For someone who reacted as you did to see someone getting hurt...even as small as a cut to the hand," Todoroki said, passing by Neon and putting his bleeding hand on the weapon, "You couldn't possibly put something there that would actually cause harm. I call your bluff."

"Once again...HERO TEAM...WINS!" All Might shouted into their ear pieces.

"Damn it…" Neon chuckled softly when Todoroki started to melt the ice with his left hand, "I thought I had you there...I didn't fool you at all, did I?"

"No…" Todoroki said slowly, "The reason why I acted was that I saw how often you looked at my hand...If my hand didn't get cut, I might have conceded."

"I definitely felt backed into a corner," Shoji admitted from the doorway, "So you got me, at least, Nishiyama. I think the MVP for this round will go to you."

"I did what I had to," Neon shrugged.

From back in the monitor room, All Might's smile was fixed on his face. Behind him, the students were chatting amongst themselves about the events but his eyes were fixed on the timer that had stopped as soon as Todoroki had put his hand on the weapon, securing the win.

11 minutes and 32 seconds.

 _Young Nishiyama may have lost this round...but she pushed the fastest winning team to have one of the slower times without hardly lifting a finger! This one...this one's strength isn't in her power. It's in her mind. She has unexpected methodologies. Ah...this is a hero people won't see coming._


	8. Sounds Like We Need a Class Rep

**Ch 08 - Sounds like We Need a Class Rep**

"Hey you! Please tell us how are All Might's classes?"

"What's it like to train under the greatest hero of all time?"

"Are you a big fan of his?"

"What has he taught you?"

 _Snap!_

"Come on, Midoriya," Neon mumbled as a large bubble encased both of them. She hooked her arm under the green haired boy's and pulled him away from the media that was crowding the front gate of school, "Just ignore them. Nothing good comes out of talking to the press."

"Ah! Nishiyama-san," Midoriya gasped, turning slightly red from the close proximity to her, "Amazing...Your bubble really does drown out all outside sounds!"

He looked over his shoulder at the muted crowd, who had cameras and microphones held out in every direction. Then Midoriya let out another gasp. "Wait! Iida-kun! You left him back there. We need to-"

"Leave him," Neon said.

"But you just said nothing good-"

Neon stopped and she raised an eyebrow. "It's Iida-kun. You really think the stuff he says would be worthy enough to make the news?"

"Ah...That's true," Midoriya said as Neon released her bubble and pulled her arm away from his, "Wait! Does that mean you think I'd say something they'd use?"

Neon nodded. "You're not emotionally steady enough to handle the pressure of the media. You might divulge something you might not have intended to reveal...Like how your Quirk is like All Might's..."

Midoriya started to visibly sweat and Neon waved her hand in the air as she continued to walk into the school building. "It's fine. All Might's Quirk has always been shrouded in mystery. Even if it is related to your Quirk, what does it matter to me? No skin off my back."

"Nishiyama-san…" Midoriya whispered as Neon put her headphones back on her head.

For the next couple of days, the media continued to swarm near the front gates of school, which Neon was secretly thankful for. With that kind of mob, there was no way her brother would send a family car to pick her up so she could use public transportation and take her time getting home.

Her commute was the only time she could really use to explore and store new sounds since she couldn't skip school anymore. She and the principal, who was the most reasonable living being that she had ever talked to albeit frightfully long winded at times, had reached an agreement in regards to her normal classes.

Midoriya was right. They could not move her up in terms of grade level because she would be behind on hero training. At the same time, the principal recognized the frustration of being taught something she already knew. However, he had pointed out to her knowing something and applying it were two different things.

And that is how they reached the agreement that during the morning classes, Neon would be the teacher's assistant. She would help create and grade the tests of her classmates while also teaching a different class each day of the week. Monday was math. Tuesday was modern literature. Wednesday was history. Thursday was English and Friday was modern hero art history.

None of the teachers had any objections to this arrangement, save one but that was only because their homeroom teacher would have preferred it if someone else handled the school centric business and so he could just focus on the hero stuff.

"Alright," Aizawa said with a heaving sigh as he stood in front of the podium, "Let's get down to homeroom business. Sorry about the late notice but today, I'll have you…"

The entire class tensed up, including Neon. Were they about to have another special training test?

"Decide on a class representative," he finished and everyone visibly relaxed.

Neon slumped over her desk and cupped her chin with one hand. _Boring…_

"I want to be class rep! Pick me!" Kirishima shouted.

"Me too!"

"I want to do it too!"

Almost everybody's hands went up in the air except for Midoriya, Neon, and Todoroki. The experience of leading a group of heroes, even if they are just heroes in training, was an opportunity students should not pass up. Even so, Neon formed a sound bubble over her head to drown out the ruckus. Any type of group work was not her forte nor was it something she liked to do so why bother taking it away from someone who actually wanted to do it? Especially someone she knew very well, who had been class representative for as long as she could remember.

She looked out the window and pondered where she should go after class when she heard the now familiar tapping against her bubble.

 _Donk! Donk!_

The bubble unpopped before she even fully turned to look at Todoroki.

"We're voting," he said as he handed her a square piece of paper.

"K."

It didn't take long for everyone to cast their vote. Considering they didn't know each other well enough yet, it was safe to assume most people wrote down their own names. Tenya diligently counted the ballots and when he finally finished tallying everything up on the board, he hung his head in despair.

"One vote…" Tenya sighed with defeat and he looked over at Neon, who could only shrug, while Midoriya jumped up from his seat.

"Th-Three votes for me?!" he yelled.

"Why Deku?! Who voted for him?!" Katsuki demanded.

"Well, it was better than voting for you," Sero admitted, which earned him a glare from the explosive boy.

"What did you say?!"

Neon dangled her hand up in the air. "Can we move this along, Sensei?" she asked.

"Ah. Yeah," Aizawa said as he got out of his yellow sleeping bag and took back his position at the podium, "Alright. Looks like Midoriya is your class rep and Yaoyorozu is your deputy class rep."

"S-Seriously?" Midoriya said through nervously chattering teeth.

"Okay. Now that business is done, everybody go to lunch," their teacher instructed.

It was a very silent walk from the classroom to the cafeteria. Midoriya was mumbling the whole time about the duties of a leader and the qualifications they must have to be one while Tenya's mouth was shut the entire time in a very clenched manner. Ochaco couldn't even find an opportunity to lift the mood as she usually did with her cheerful demeanor.

She did try, though, when they got their food and sat down.

"The rice here is really delicious, isn't it?" she asked with a hopeful smile.

Midoriya looked down at his food and heaved a deep sigh. "Even though I've been chosen as class rep, I don't know if I'm qualified for it."

"You are," Ochaco said with a nod.

"Don't worry about it," Tenya agreed, "Your courage and judgement at critical moments make you worth following. That is why I voted for you."

"It was you?!" Midoriya gasped while Neon rolled her eyes.

"I knew it," she mumbled.

"You didn't vote for yourself, Iida-kun?! But you got one vote!" Ochaco asked.

"That was me," Neon said as she chomped down on a baby corn tempura.

"Ah...I had a feeling but...thank you for your support even if it was futile," Tenya said with a bow to Neon.

"But didn't you want to be class rep, too, Iida-kun?" Ochaco asked, "You certainly look the part with your glasses."

"Wanting to do it and being suitable for it are different issues. I merely did what I judged to be correct," Tenya said while Neon rolled her eyes again.

"You do things too much by the book," she said and then looked out the window, "When you do become a hero, you're going to be tied down with rules and regulations enough. Why not take the opportunity now to do something in your self interest just this once?"

"That is a slippery slope, Nishiyama-san," he said and pushed his glasses up with both hands "I cannot allow myself to stray from this path of justice even if it is-"

"Okay, okay! Spare me the lecture," Neon sighed and put up her hands in defeat, "At least vote based on experience. You've been class rep for as long as I've known you. If class rep was an actual career, you'd be a veteran!"

"Erm...I've been wondering…" Midoriya said softly, "Iida-kun...Since you're so familiar with Nishiyama-san...who's from a rich family...Does that mean...does that mean…?"

"Are you a rich boy, Iida-kun?!" Ochaco interjected before Midoriya could find a way to say it delicately.

Tenya sighed, "I've been at least trying to change the way I talk to avoid being called that...But..yes, I am from a prestigious family...My family has been heroes for generations. I'm the second son."

"Eh?! Amazing!" Midoriya and Ochaco exclaimed.

"You must've heard about the Turbo Hero: Ingenium, Midoriya?" Neon asked.

Midoriya didn't even try to contain his fanboy nature. "Of course I have!" he shouted, "He's a really popular hero who has 65 sidekicks working at his agency!"

"He is my elder brother!" Tenya announced proudly.

"That's amazing!" Midoriya and Ochaco shouted. Even Neon couldn't help but let out a smile.

"Iida-san is a dependable hero," Neon said as she continued to eat.

"Yes," Tenya said and his chest puffed up some more, "He honors the rules and leads people! I set my sights on being a hero because I want to be like my brother. However, I think it is still too soon for me to lead others. Unlike me, Midoriya realized the point of the practical portion of the entrance exam, so he is more suitable for the job."

"Actually...about the entrance exam," Midoriya said slowly.

 _Briiiiiiiiing!_

Neon stood up immediately as soon as she heard the alarm bell and her bubble appeared around their table.

"A-An alarm?!" Midoriya asked as he looked up at the lights that were beginning to flash, "Wait...how can I hear sounds if I'm in the barrier?"

"My bubble can work in the other direction too," Neon explained while her eyes darted to the windows and then the doors, "We can hear everything still but everyone on the outside wouldn't be able to hear us."

"There has been a Level 3 security breach," announced a robotic voice over the intercom, "All students please evacuate outdoors promptly."

The older students got to their feet and clamored out the door first, leaving the first years looking at each other blankly.

"What is a Level 3 security breach?" Neon asked.

Tenya gulped. "According to the student handbook, it means someone is trespassing on school grounds."

"We need to get out of here before it's too late," Midoriya said as he watched everyone flood out of the cafeteria.

"Everyone, stay close to me," Neon said, "My barrier should be strong enough to push through people as long as someone like Kirishima breaks it."

"Do we really need your barrier?" Midoriya asked.

Neon didn't answer. Instead, she waited until they got through the door for Midoriya to see her point. Everyone was in a panic and pushing and shoving their way to escape. Because of the frenzied state, it was easy enough for Neon to use her barrier to push to the middle but by the time they reached the middle, it was too congested and the barrier popped from the sheer pressure of the crowd.

"AH! I'm being squished!" Ochaco gasped with her front firmly pressed against Neon's back.

"As expected of the best of the best," Tenya groaned while being slammed against Neon's right side, "Everyone reacts quickly in a crisis."

"They're too quick and it's causing a panic!" Midoriya yelled from Neon's other side.

Neon hated being jostled more than the actual proximity everyone was to her, even if it was very uncomfortable, and she clenched her fist, just seconds away from throwing a punch at someone just so they would stop touching her. She struck out her fist but at the last second she grabbed Tenya's arm.

"Nishiyam-"

"Do...SOMETHING!" she seethed, "You're all about structure and order, right? Organize this!"

"H-How? We don't know what danger is out there and-"

"Isn't that part of being a hero?" Neon shot back and Tenya's mouth clamped shut just as Ochaco cried out.

"Ahhh!"

"Ochaco!" Neon gasped as Ochaco started to get pushed back by the crowd. Neon reached out grabbed Ochaco's hand and pulled her back to her side.

Tenya's brows furrowed and he stretched out his hand. "Uraraka-kun! Make me float! Neon-"

"I know what to do," Neon said as Ochaco slapped Tenya's hand and he he flew up in the air. As he did so, something in the window caught his eye and he hesitated for just a second. Then, he lifted up his pant legs and he rocketed to the front of the room and splatted up against the wall, right over the EXIT sign.

Neon put a finger to her throat and snapped her fingers. "EVERYONE! SHUUUUT UP!" she bellowed.

The windows rattled and the students covered their ears. It was enough for them to forget about their fear and they noticed Tenya splayed out above their heads.

"Everyone! Everything is fine! It is just the media. There is nothing to panic about! Everything's fine!" Tenya shouted, "Please remember, this is UA. Let us act in a way befitting the best of the best!"

The tension in the air was lifted and the entire student body relaxed. The pushing and crowding stopped, making enough room for some students to get to the window and see that Tenya was right. The shouting turned into murmurs. Soon, the crowd dispersed with everyone heading back to their classrooms while the teachers handled the commotion outside. When the police came and went, everything returned back to normal.

"Ahem...Let's proceed, class rep," Momo said gently to Midoriya as both of them stood at the front of the class.

"R-Right...We need to decide on the other class officers," he said, shaking with nerves, and then he gulped, "But...first, can I say something? I think that...Tenya Iida should be the class rep after all. He was really good at handling the emergency just now...and he did it in such a cool way. I think it would be best for Iida to do it."

"I'm good with that," Kirishima said as he turned to smile at the stunned Tenya, "It's true that Iida was a big help at the cafeteria today."

"Yeah," Denki agreed, "And he kind of looked like the person on the emergency exit signs, didn't he?"

"Stop wasting time," AIzawa said from his corner, "Just hurry up and decide so we can move on."

Tenya got up to his feet. "If the class rep has nominated me, then it cannot be helped. From this day forth, I, Tenya Iida, promise to do my best to carry out the duties of class representative!"

"We're counting on you, Emergency Exit!" Kirishima shouted.

"Emergency Exit Iida!" Denki cheered.

As the day progressed and class finally came to a close, Neon couldn't shake a worrisome feeling that was clouding her. After class, she got up and headed straight for the principal's office. The fact that he was not there, made the feeling grow even more.

"Oy. Nishiyama. Shouldn't you be heading home? Or do you want to be class rep now?"

Neon turned around and saw her homeroom teacher heading down the hall. "I was looking for Principal Nezu."

"The principal is downstairs with some of the other teachers investigating the breach," he said. He stopped in front of her and he let out a tired sigh, "I know what you are here for and there is no reason for you to worry about the trespassing."

"I overheard some third years say that this has never happened before during their time in school," Neon said, "And...to borrow a line from Iida-kun, UA is an elite school. The security systems here are state of the art. There is no possible way that ordinary members of the media could so easily-"

Aizawa put up his hand. "You are bright, Nishiyama...and you have good instincts...But like I said, there is no reason for _you_ to worry about it. The faculty is aware and we will handle it. I know it's not in your nature to do so but I'm ordering you as your teacher to leave it to us pro heroes to handle. Got it?"

Neon's jaws clenched and she nodded stiffly.

"And do not voice your concerns to the rest of the class. I know you and Iida are close but-"

Now it was her turn to interrupt. "I'll keep it to myself. I won't cause unnecessary panic...like today."

"Ah," Aizawa said with begrudging agreement, "The student body did not act as rational as they needed. I will mention to the principal that moving forward, the teachers should make sure you are all prepared and can act accordingly in the future. Now...if that's all, Nishiyama, go home."

Neon nodded. "I'll see you tomorrow, Sensei."

"Ah," he said as she walked away.

He watched her round the corner and when she was out of sight, his usual complacent expression turned into a frown. He meant what he said in that the girl had good instincts. On paper, she more than qualified in being a hero in training. She had the drive and the determination to strengthen herself and to be of use to society. Yes, the girl had hero potential but there was no guarantee that she would succeed...and it all came down to one thing, her mentality.

She was rational. There was no doubt about that. In fact, he had never encountered another first year, who was as fully aware of all the risks and hard work it takes to be a hero as Neon. Power and glory came to very few but the weight and burden of herowork was something every hero had to shoulder and she seemed to be extremely cognizant of it.

She was not a passionate dreamer type like Midoriya and admittedly, Aizawa actually was more like her than the other worrisome student in his class. However, he knew how important passion was to sustain a career in herowork. It was too easy to get jaded and he had seen too many of his students and peers broken by failures and harsh realities. A broken spirit was much harder to come back from then a broken bone.

What was her motivation for being a hero? Would it be enough to push herself when the going gets tough? To go beyond? Plus ultra?

Yes, that was the question that she had not yet answered to his satisfaction. Maybe she hadn't figured it out herself yet. If that was the case, it was his job as her teacher to guide her. It was not like him to give his students the benefit of the doubt but he saw enough potential in her for him to give her even a little bit.

Maybe tomorrow's Rescue Training exercise would help clarify things. Help him see what she is like in the face of crisis. This would be close to the real thing. No paper mache props. No imagination required.

 _Nishiyama Neon..._ Aizawa thought to himself as he headed back towards the teacher's lounge, _What kind of hero will you be?_


	9. Sounds Like a Rescue Training I

Ch 09 - Sounds Like a Rescue Training I

"Deku-kun! You're wearing your gym clothes?" Ochaco asked as she and Neon walked over to MIdoriya. Both of them, along with the rest of their class, were in their hero suits. They stood in the school's parking lot and were waiting for the bus to come and take them off campus for their latest hero training exercise.

"Yeah," Midoriya said with a sheepish grin, "They got ripped up during the combat training, so I'm waiting for the support team to fix it."

 _Beeeep!_

"Who gave that guy a whistle?" Neon said with a scowl towards the class rep that was hidden behind the tinted visor of her helmet.

"Class 1A!" Tenya shouted, using succinct and stiff arm movements that would put an air traffic controller to shame, "Form two lines by your student numbers in order to make boarding the bus go smoothly!"

 _Beep beep!_

"Iida-kun's going full throttle," Midoriya said.

"The bus isn't even..." Kirishima complained just as the bus pulled up at the exact spot Tenya was standing in front of, "...Here yet?"

"TWO LINES!" Tenya shouted.

Neon sighed and got into place with the rest of her class. Todoroki was at her front and Hagakure stood behind her.

"I wonder what kind of rescue we'll be doing. What do you think, Nishiyama?" Hagakure asked excitedly, her gloves gesturing wildly in the air, "Do you think we'll be working individually or as teams?!"

"I hope it's a team exercise..I don't know how well my Quirk would be by myself. If it's a natural disaster type of scenario, it would be best to be paired with Momo for the sake of adaptability," Neon said, "Although if it's a landfall or a cave in, Noisy Boy's Quirk would be useful too...And also if it's a hostage type of rescue and we need fire power..."

"Like I'd ever team up with you, Dye Job! You're not even good enough to be a sidekick!"

"EEK!"

The hostile bark of Katsuki made Hagakure gasp and jump away from him instinctively. It caused her to push up against Neon, who in turn bumped into Todoroki. He lurched one foot forward but managed to stabilize himself enough so none of them would fall to the floor.

"Ah! Sorry, Todoroki! Nishiyama!" Hagakure squeaked and Neon felt the pressure relieve from her back.

"It's okay," Todoroki said as he stepped back into place.

"Sorry, Todoroki," Neon said and did the same. She then turned to glare at Katsuki. Behind him, Midoriya's eyes were as big as dinner plates, which subsided her annoyance. Did Midoriya think a war would break out between her and Noisy Boy?

The line started to move and when Neon stepped onto the bus, she couldn't contain her amusement and she laughed. Tenya sat at the very front of the bus with his head between his legs. The seating arrangement on the bus was not what he had planned. Instead of rows of two on each side of the bus, the first half of the bus had seats that lined up against the wall.

"Just...sit anywhere you want," Tenya said defeatedly.

Neon shrugged and then when she got on board, she promptly sat down next to Todoroki. He looked at her in surprise since there was a full row of empty chairs next to her.

"You're not the chatting type," Neon said with a shrug.

"I see…" Todoroki murmured. The bus revved off and they sat in silence the entire time, which Neon appreciated even more so when Noisy Boy started yelling at people towards the front of the bus.

It took them about half an hour to get to the training course, which was was held inside a large building with a glass dome as the roof. In front of the gates rested golden letters - USJ. Beneath it stood the legendary hero, Thirteen. He was clad in his usual puffy spacesuit with a spherical helmet over his head.

"Everyone. I have been waiting for you," he rasped through the speakerbox in his suit.

"Wow! It really is the Space Hero: Thirteen!" Midoriya exclaimed, "The gentlemanly hero who has rescued tons of people from disasters!"

"Oh! I love Thirteen!" Ochacho cheered.

"Come. Let's go inside without delay," Thirteen said as he walked up the front steps of the building and into it's vast open door.

The students entered the building with Aizawa Sensei in the back. The front door was actually elevated to the second story and the entire building was just one big open space. They could see down below on the ground level that there were various disaster simulation zones set up and at the ready.

"Shipwreck...A landslide...an urban fire...a windstorm...and many other scenarios," Thirteen said as he spread his arms out, "It is a specialized training ground that I designed with different types of accidents and disasters. Welcome to the Unforeseen Simulation Joint."

"Whoahhhhh!" the students gasped as Aizawa walked to the front.

"Thirteen...Where's All Might?" he asked, "He was supposed to meet us here."

"About that…" Thirteen said in a hushed voice that made Neon's ears perk up, "It looks like he did too much hero work on his way to work and ran out of time, so he's resting in the lounge."

"That is the height of irrationality," Aizawa sighed, "But it can't be helped. Shall we begin?"

"Let's see...Before we begin, let me say one thing...er..maybe two...make that three...Or four?" Thirteen started to say, "Five? Six? Seven?"

Neon's eyes widened along with the rest of her classmates. How many warnings do they need for this place?

Thirteen raised his hand. "Everyone, I'm sure you are aware of my Quirk, Black Hole. I can suck up anything and turn it to dust."

"Yes," Midoriya said while Ochaco nodded emphatically next to him, "You've been able to use that Quirk to save people from all kinds of disasters right?"

"Yeah but it is a power that can kill easily," Thirteen warned, "Some of you also have Quirks like that, right? In today's society, personal Quirks have been certified and stringently regulated, so that doesn't seem to be a problem at first glance. However, please do not forget that there are many Quirks that can easily kill with one wrong step. With Aizawa-san's physical fitness test, you found out about the possibility of your own hidden powers and with All Might's person-to-person combat training, I think you experienced the danger of using those powers against others. This class is a fresh start. You shall learn how to use your Quirks to save people's lives. You do not have powers so you can harm others. I hope you leave here with the understanding that you have powers in order to help others."

Thirteen bowed. "That is all. Thank you for listening."

"That was inspiring!"

"Bravo! Bravo!"

The students clapped and cheered at his speech and even Neon couldn't help but feel moved by his words.

 _To help others…_

"All right then...first-" Aizawa started to say.

 _Eeeeeee!_

Neon flinched at the faint but high pitched tone. It was barely there but it was sharp enough to be annoying.

"What is that?" Neon asked.

Mina, who was standing next to Neon, looked at her curiously. "What is what?"

Suddenly, the long strip of lights that lined underneath the dome flickered and sizzled with energy. Then it powered off casting a shadow in the room with only the sun left as a source of light. A fountain at the center of the building began to sporadically spray out the water and when it finally returned back to normal, a dark, black hole emerged from the curtain of water. Then the blackness turned even bigger until it became a black wall right in front of the fountain

"Gather together and don't move!" Aizawa shouted as people began to emerge from the black wall, "Thirteen, protect the students!"

"Is this like the entrance exam where the lessons' already started?" Kirishima asked.

"Idiot. Sense the tone!" Neon yelled as she pulled Kirishima back so she could take his place at the front to see better, "Those people are-"

"Don't move, even you, Nishiyama," Aizawa ordered as he put on his goggles, "Those are villains."

"What?" the class gasped.

"The trespassing the other day was the work of these scumbags after all, huh?" Aizawa murmured as his scarf billowed out and his hair waved up into the air.

At least thirty villains emerged from the black curtain with two hanging back at the fountain. The curtain started to condense until it formed a smoky black figure with narrow yellow eyes.

"Villains? How is that possible?! There's no way they could get into a hero school!" Kirishima demanded, coming up next to Neon.

"Sensei! What about the trespasser sensors?" Momo asked.

"There's something jamming it," Neon said as she poked a finger into her ear to stop that irritating tone even for just a minute, "Jiro. Can't you hear it?"

"Faintly but my hearing works better when my ears are plugged into something, like the wall."

"Did they only appear here or around the whole school?" Todoroki asked, "Either way...if the sensors are not responding, that means they have someone with a Quirk that can do it. An isolated area separated from the main campus during a time when a class is supposed to be here...They might be fools but they're not dumb. This infiltration was planned with some sort of goal in mind."

"Thirteen. Evacuate the students and try calling the school," Aizawa instructed, "These villains even had something to counteract the sensors. It's possible someone with radio-wave-type powers is interfering. Kaminari! You try contacting the school with your Quirk, too!"

"Sensei! With that many people, even if you can erase their Quirks...A frontal battle would be…" Midoriya said worriedly.

"You can't be a hero with just one trick," Aizawa said, "I'm leaving it to you, Thirteen."

With that, he flew down the stairs with his scarf whipping behind him towards the mob of villains. Neon and the rest of the class watched with mouths agape as their teacher took down the villains one by one and sometimes even three at a time. Whether it was long distance or close hand-to-hand combat, Aizawa had a countermove and offensive move for every villain that got in his path. WIth his goggles on, none of the villains could tell who's Quirk he was erasing, which made them hesitate to move in and in turn, made it harder for them to work together. He was nullifying their advantage in numbers.

"Come on. Follow me," Thirteen said as he rushed back towards the front door, "Everyone. Listen to your teacher. We must evacuate!"

"Y-Yes!" Tenya said as he and Momo jumped into the role of class reps and started to move the class forward, "We need to hurry up and take shelter! This is not a time to spectate!"

Suddenly, a black warp sprouted in their path and the shadowy figure emerged out of it. "I won't let you," he boomed as he stretched up several feet in the air, "Nice to meet you. We are the League of Villains. It may be presumptuous of us, but we have invited ourselves in to the home of the heroes, UA High School."

Thirteen took a step back and used his arms to push the students behind him.

"We are here in order to have All Might, the Symbol of Peace, take his last breath," the shadowy figure stated, "I believe All Might should have been here. Has there been some kind of change?...Well...that is neither here nor there. This is the part I am here to play."

Thirteen flicked open the top part of his glove but just when he was about to take aim at the figure, Katsuki and Kirishima leapt in front of him and charged at the villain.

"HYAAAAAH!" they yelled.

The explosion from Katsuki's Quirk sent a large smoke screen that covered everyone's sight.

"Betcha never thought you'd get beaten before you got to do anything," Kirishima laughed.

"Heh," the shadowy figure chucked and then re-emerged within the smoke, "That's right. Even if you are students, you are excellent golden eggs."

"No! Move away, you too!" Thirteen yelled as plumes of black smoke came out of the villains body and surrounded the group.

"My job is to scatter you all and torture you to death!" he shouted as his black smoke consumed the class.

"Nishiyama-san! Get out of there!" Neon heard Tenya cry out just as she felt herself get sucked into darkness and then, just as quickly, dumped out into what felt like the inside of a smokebox.

Neon was sprawled on top of hot, wooden floorboards inside a room that was getting clouded with smoke.

 _What? What happened?!_

She got up to her feet and took off her helmet in order to see clearer. She instantly regretted her decision when she was hit with a coughing fit from the thick smoke. She dropped her helmet and ran to the sole window in the empty room.

"Oh my god," Neon coughed when she got a view of the outside. She had somehow found herself in the middle of an empty but burning cityscape.

"Got ya!" a man shouted as he charged into the room with a gas mask over his face and a knife in hand.

"Nishiyama-san! Get away from the window!"

 _Thwack! Crash!_

Ojiro appeared from behind and he jumped up, grabbing the door frame and swinging his legs forward. He kicked the man in the small of the back. Neon jumped to the side as Ojiro sent the man flying right through the window, bringing a gust of warmed air into the room.

"Th-Thanks," Neon said as she picked up her helmet, "Where are we?"

"I think we're still in USJ...Thirteen Sensei mentioned an urban fire as one of the scenarios, right? This must be it."

"Yeah. I think you're right."

"Come on. We need to get out of here," Ojiro said.

"Ah."

They managed to find a fire escape and they got a good look of their surroundings once they were safely outside. The buildings around them had fire sprouting out from it's windows and balconies at almost every level. The streets and shrubs were ablaze as well.

"We should find an exit out of this place and get back to the others," Neon said and she eyed the boy's karate gear, "Ojiro...your strength is close combat?"

"Yes," he said, "I am skilled in various practices of martial arts."

"Okay...Okay...I can work with that," Neon murmured as she sent her bubbles to hover in front and behind them at a 20 foot radius. At the same time, she also put up a bubble barrier that contained her and Ojiro.

She grabbed Ojiro by the arm and ran down the burning streets. It didn't take long for Ojiro to recover from her sudden action and to keep up with her pace. "Nishiyama-san...do you have a plan?"

"A vague idea…," Neon said, "I mean...you heard what that shadowy guy said, right? They're after All Might..and to do so this boldly, they must have a way to actually kill him. Or at least, something strong enough for them to believe they do."

"So we should definitely escape, right?" Ojiro asked.

 _Pop!_

" _Ring the alarm / I been through this too long / But I'll be damned if I see another chick on your arm!"_

Neon whirled around just in time to see three men running after them. "Shit! Ojiro-"

"Leave it to me!" Ojiro said as his tail smacked through the sound barrier and he launched himself at the three villains. In mid-air, his tail knocked down one villain while he kicked down the other two with his legs. Then, his tail wrapped around one of the villains and flung him far off into the distance.

"Whoa...Ojiro...You're kind of a bad ass, aren't you?"

Ojiro almost tripped on his feet at Neon's words and he blushed. "Thanks…"

Neon grinned and looked up at the rooftops. "Come on..We need to get to higher ground to look for a way out."

"Wait. Nishiyama!" Ojiro yelled as Neon raced into a burning building.

 _Wub wub wub wub wub wub wub!_

He barely got through the front door when a deep bass resounded through the building, quelling the fires in the lobby enough for it to clear a path that led straight to a door with "EMERGENCY EXIT" labelled at the top.. Neon had the palm of her hand out with her other hand pressing down on one of the buttons on her suit. Lights flickered up her arms and helmet while sound came booming out of her glove.

"Soundwaves can displace oxygen," Neon said as she rushed to the emergency exit door and kicked it open, "Come on. To the roof!"

They ran up the stairs with Ojiro being one step behind her. Neon knew he could easily overtake her but she was also the one with the fire extinguishing ability. She was lucky that she ended up with someone so level headed and congenial.

"Nishiyama...When we find the exit, what do we do next?" he asked.

"Get back to the others and get at least one of us out the door to get help," Neon said.

"Eh? Just one? Not all."

"You heard Aizawa Sensei, right? The villains chose to attack here, when we're isolated away from the school. They might have enough power to take down All Might but it's not enough to take on multiple pro heroes. They deliberately jammed our sensors, which shows the last thing they want is for the other teachers to get here," Neon said, "So as long as one of us leaves and contacts the school, their plan would be thwarted and we have a chance of them retreating."

"That's true..," Ojiro said as they got to the roof. Now that they were on higher ground, Neon could get a closer look at the roof over their head. They were in an enclosed simulation that kept the smoke and fire contained and away from the other areas. It was a metallic roof, too hard and too high for either Neon or Ojiro to break.

"Look for an exit," Neon said as she ran to one side of the roof. Ojiro nodded and went to the opposite side.

"Thirteen Sensei didn't hold back, did he? This is as real of a disaster zone as it gets," Ojiro said as he squinted to get a better look, "I can't see anything through this much fire and smoke. Nishiyama, can you see anything?"

He turned to look at his classmate and then was shocked to find her looking at him with widened eyes and mouth agape.

"What?" Ojiro said.

"That's it, Ojiro! That's it!" Neon yelled.

"What? What do you mean?" Ojiro asked.

"This is a _disaster_ zone!" Neon said.

Ojiro blinked. "So?"

Neon grinned. "So...let's create a disaster!"


	10. Sounds Like a Rescue Training II

**Ch 10 - Sounds Like a Rescue Training II**

"Where are those damn kids? Anybody seen them? Anybody have a searching Quirk?!"

"These villains...sounds like they've been rounded up and dumped here," Neon murmured to Ojiro in a sound barrier as they waited inside the second floor of a skyrise that was definitely modeled to resemble some sort of business center. The sound barrier took up almost the entire floor and it reached the two-story high ceiling and covered a large sound bubble that made the one she created to thwart Todoroki and Shoji look like pebble, "They don't even know about each other's abilities…"

"If that's the case, maybe they aren't that strong after all? Maybe their plan to take out All Might was just over confidence, " Ojiro said with a hopeful smile.

Neon shook her head. "Those two men that hung back while the others attacked Sensei...Those must be the bosses...They're just letting these thugs split us up and take us out...Which means...they highly underestimated us or else they don't know about our Quirks."

"Eh? How'd you figure?" Ojiro asked.

"Because if they knew about my Quirk, they wouldn't put me in an urban setting," Neon said as she finished containing above her a sound bubble that was taking over the room.

"But...even I know your Quirk and I'm not entirely sure what you are doing," Ojiro admitted with a scratch to the back of his head.

Neon smiled. "You ready to go?"

"Ah…," Ojiro said as he bent down so that Neon could climb on his back. She broke the sound barrier and they jumped out the window down to a vacant street below, leaving behind her giant sound bomb. A trail of smaller bubbles followed Neon and when they reached the ground, Neon sent her bubbles forward to the cross street at the city center.

She and Ojiro ran several blocks away to a small three story building and they ran up to the roof to see their plan in action. Neon pushed a button on her helmet and it activated the sound boosting technology she had requested. It gave her already sensitive hearing an extra boost with a radius of 5 blocks as long as the voices were above a whisper.

"Ready?" Neon asked as Ojiro covered his ears and gulped.

 _Snap!_

Through the shouting of the villains chasing after them, Neon heard the faint traces of her pre-recorded fake planning with Ojiro.

" _We just need to sneak into the office and once we get there-"_ she heard her own voice say.

"Ah! I hear something. Over there! Those brats are over there!" someone shouted followed by the sounds of running.

 _They took the bait._

She held her breath and waited. Within a second, there was more shouting and more feet. She counted to ten and forced herself to be patient. She needed as much of them to gather as possible. The more of them together, the more she could take out.

"EH?! There's nothing here! Did they run? I swear I heard something! Let's spread out and look for them. They have to be around here-"

 _Snap!_

 _Kaboom! Kaboom! Kaboom! Kaboom!_

Neon snapped from both hands and suddenly, four sound waves blasted through the middle floors of the four tallest buildings around the city center. They collapsed onto the streets with chunks of stone and steel metal beams crushing surrounding buildings. When the dust had settled, there was a makeshift wall of ruins encircling the villains at the center.

"A disaster fitting for a disaster scenario," Neon said, "Okay...I bought us some time...Ready to go?"

"Ah," Ojiro nodded solemnly as he stretched out his leg muscles, "Leave the hand to hand combat to me."

The two of them ran to the outer border of the city. There had to be a door along the wall and it was only a matter of time for them to find it. Taking out as many villains as possible was only a security measure to lessen any fighting they would have to do, even if Ojiro was quite good at it.

An incessant ringing sound appeared within her ears. Temporary Tinnitus was the side effect of overextending her Quirk and Neon rarely had it get to this point.

"There they are. Get them!"

Four men came running towards Ojiro and Neon. One had a large stick in hand. One had long, sinewy fingers and the other two looked perfectly normal, which made Neon nervous. Based on her perusing on the internet, the most plain ones usually possessed the most unexpected and dangerous Quirks.

"Nishiyama! Please leave this to me!" Ojiro said as he charged forward.

The stick in the first man's hand suddenly grew to a thick club and he swung it hard at Ojiro, who effortlessly ducked and kicked his attacker squarely in the jaw, knocking him away. The club flew out of his hand, returning back to it's stick form and clattered at Neon's feet. The two plain looking ones morphed in different ways. One grew taller and bulkier while the other turned into a dark green, gloopy mess with two dripping arms and a slackened jaw.

The bulkier man lunged for Ojiro while the goop went for the student's legs. Ojiro's tail flicked forward and he used it to push off the bulkier man's chest but just as he was flying away, he was grabbed by a rope and yanked towards the villain by the man with sinewy fingers. His index finger had transformed into a long rope.

"Ah!" Ojiro yelled as Neon rushed forward. In one smooth motion, she picked up the stick, stuck it in nearby fire and thrusted the flame right at the extended rope.

"AH!" the rope man screamed, retreating his rope and hurriedly blowing out the fire on his finger but Neon did not dawdle to register his reaction. She swung out again and this time stuck the fire straight into the goop.

 _Fwoom!_

The goop immediately burst into flames and the man returned back to his human form in order to roll around on the concrete.

"Why you-," the bulky man yelled as he raised a fist.

 _Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!_

Ojiro, now free from all hindrances, quickly kicked and thrashed the villains unconscious. He wiped his brow and straightened his back. "Thanks, Nishiyama. I'm sorry for rushing in so quickly. I was just eager to do something on my part."

The ringing in Neon's ears was getting louder so she could barely make out what he was saying since he had a naturally soft spoken voice. She smiled to show that there were no hard feelings and she held up a thumbs up sign. Then she motioned for them go forward and Ojiro nodded.

Thankfully, they did not run into any more people when they found the exit. Neon could only assume that the group of men they had encountered were tasked to patrol, since their Quirks were utilized mostly to capture.

They turned the wheel attached to a giant metal door and it took both of their strength to open it.

 _Ccccreeeaaakkkk!_

They slipped out and slammed the door shut behind them before anybody could close in. When they got to the otherside, Neon gulped. They were at the farthest corner of the building from the entrance. Neon couldn't hear that well now with the ringing and the fact that there were just too many noises of fighting and shouting. She closed her eyes and did the first thing that came to mind. She pointed the base of her finger to her throat. "CLASS 1A! THIS IS NEON WITH AN ANNOUNCEMENT!"

 _Bang! Bang! Bang!_

There was pounding against the metal door as Ojiro twisted the wheel shut. Both he and Neon pushed their backs against it while Neon continued to announce her lie. With every word she spoke, the ringing in her ears got louder and louder but she wasn't here to listen.

"Ojiro and I had found the emergency landline in the urban simulation zone! It's connected directly to the school. I've spoken to Chikamatsu Sensei! The school has been notified. I repeat...The school has been notified and they are on their way. All students to please proceed evacuation and to be safe...Class Rep, with your Quirk, you will need to lead the charge! I repeat. Class Rep, take the lead! Neon, out. "

As the last of Neon's voice echoed through the dome, Tenya gritted his teeth and rushed forward past the warp man and towards the front doors. Neon's fake announcement was just enough for the villain to hesitate. She made a very convincing lie but Tenya knew better. He knew the roster of the entire faculty. There was no Chikamatsu Sensei..In fact, Chikamatsu was the name of Akia's pet hamster.

Her message within her lie was loud and clear. He needed to get help. However, Tenya knew she would be disappointed since he was already in the middle of doing so. She didn't need to waste her breath.

"Iida-kun! GOOO!" Ochaco screamed behind him as she touched the metal casing shrouded inside the warp man's black fog and threw it up into the air.

"Ah! NO!" the warp man cried as he was pulled away from Tenya, who flung the front doors open and raced out.

 _Stay alive, everyone!_ Tenya thought as he charged towards the school.

Back in front of the urban zone, Neon tapped her ears with the base of her hand and grimaced when the ringing failed to subside. There hadn't been any pounding against the door since she finished her announcement. The villains must've gotten scared and decided to regroup. Or..they were waiting for the warp man to come get them. He did bring them here after all but now that Neon was thinking about their entrance, she got an uneasy feeling in her stomach.

"Ojiro…" Neon said, "We need to get to the central plaza. I think Aizawa Sensei is in danger."

"But with what you just said, the villains should be retreating by now, right?" Ojiro asked.

Neon nodded. "Logically, yes...but these are villains we're talking about. Even if they are not strong, their hearts could be the worst of the worst. We have to think of the worst case scenario. They might not be able to get All Might this time...but what's going to stop them from taking out a teacher...or even a student while they have us here?"

 _Bang! Bang! Bang!_

The door started to pound again and Neon slammed her body against it.

"Ugh. Why now? GIVE IT UP ALREADY!" she shouted.

"Nishiyama," Ojiro said as he held tightly to the wheel, "You go. I can handle it from here."

"What? I can't leave you here on your own!" Neon gasped.

"Have more faith in me. If it gets too much, I'll go into that mountain area over there and hide. I'm very fast," Ojiro said, "But if it is as you said, the worst case scenario...Then you should go."

 _Bang!_

"Go! Nishiyama!" Ojiro said with a firm nod, "You said you hated being useless right? Well, you are no use to me here since you aren't good with fighting head on, yes? So go where you can be of use."

Neon drew in a breath. She was genuinely touched by Ojiro's words. Her hands clenched to her side and she gave him a nod back. "Okay...Thank you, Ojiro. You're...You're a good guy...Stay alive, okay?"

Ojori smiled with a faint blush to his cheeks. "You too."

Neon raced towards the central plaza and just when she could just make out Midoriya's hair off in the distance, there was a sudden force that blasted from where he was. Neon skidded to a halt and braced herself as not to get blown away by the strong gust. To her right, the waves of the shipwreck zone crashed against the wall and over her head, the lights that lined the dome shattered on impact.

 _Did...Midoriya cause this?_

Smoke and dust plumed in Neon's direction and she ran straight towards it, to where Midoriya was. When she got past the water fountain, the dust had settled and she stopped once again but this time out of sheer horror.

"What?!" she gasped.

Aizawa laid face down in a pool of blood that was mostly coming from his head. His arms were bent at an unnatural angle. In front of him stood a muscular creature whose brain was exposed with no scalp for protection and a sharp yellow beak for a mouth. The creature had a hand on Midoriya's arm. From the outskirts of the shipwreck zone, Tsu had her tongue out and wrapped around Midoriya's waste while a man who was quite literally covered in detached hands had his own hand outstretched towards both the frog girl's face as well as Mineta's.

The man with the hands stopped and he turned towards Neon. "Oh? Another one?"

"Nishiyama-san! RUN!" Midoriya yelled.

 _Kaboom!_

The front doors blasted open and suddenly, a bulky hero with blonde hair and gleaming teeth came walking down the steps.

"It's fine...Why? Because I am here!" All Might declared through gritted teeth and furrowed brows.

Neon's senses were reeling and it wasn't just because of the ringing in her ears. In a flash, All Might plowed through the remaining villains that stood between the plaza and the stairwell. Then suddenly, he had Aizawa in his arms and placed at the bottom of the steps. Neon blinked at that moment and when she opened her eyes, she found herself standing in front of Aizawa with Midoriya, Tsu, and Mineta at her sides.

"Huh? What?!" Mineta gasped.

"Everyone, go to the entrance!" All Might ordered as he faced the brained bird and the hand man, "I'm leaving Aizawa to you. Hurry! He's unconscious!"

"Y-yes!" Mineta and Tsu said as they jumped into action. Mineta grabbed Aizawa's legs while Tsu started to pick up Aizawa by the arms.

"Wait! All Might!" Midoriya shouted, "You can't! That villain took a punch from One F-...took a punch that didn't break my arm but he didn't even twitch! He's gotta be-"

All Might flung his arm back but kept his eyes on the villains. "Young Midoriya!" he said and then turned to pose with a peace sign at his temple, "It'll be fine."

Midoriya gulped and then took the weight of Aizawa off from Tsu. The students started to walk back towards the entrance while All Might charged forward.

"Carolina Smash!"

 _Boom!_

Another forceful wind struck through the air and it was very similar to the one earlier that Neon had felt from Midoriya. She looked at the boy, who had his head down and a clouded look across his face.

"Hey...Midoriya…" Neon started to say when another explosion caused her to look back, "What? What happened?"

"All Might just suplexed that guy! So cool!" Mineta cheered, "Yeah, All Might! AIM FOR THE BALLS!"

The dust cleared and then the students gasped. The warp guy had sprouted his warp right on the floor and the suplex that was aimed to put the bird into the ground only succeeded in him coming out from under All Might and grabbing the hero by the sides. The sharp talons of the bird man pierced into All Might's flesh and deep red stains started to bloom out of his white shirt.

"No...way…," Mineta gasped.

"Tsu...could you take Aizawa Sensei?" Midoriya asked.

"Huh? Why?" Tsu asked just as Midoriya handed her the teacher and sprinted towards the hero.

"Shit! I've got his back. You guys get to the entrance!" Neon shouted as she raced after him.

"WAIT! NISHIYAMA! MIDORIYA!" Tsu yelled as she struggled to get a good grip on Aizawa.

Midoriya jumped into the air and stretched out his hand towards his hero. "ALL MIGHT!"

"Young Midoriya?!"

The warp man appeared in front of Midoriya to intercept but then…

 _Snap!_

Two bubbles formed around All Might and Midoriya.

"Young Nishiyama?!"

 _BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!_

The ground shook and then cracked beneath Neon's feet as she sent an amplified bass through both shoulder speakers.

"AAAHHHHH!" she screamed through the ringing in her ears as she blasted the sound forward. The warp man's whole being wavered and shook and it exposed the metallic can hidden within his body. It was started to vibrate from the sound waves. The birdman let out a shriek and his hands loosened from All Might. The vibrations were hitting everywhere in their body and it rattled them from the inside.

"GET OUT OF THE WAY, DYE JOB!"

Neon was shoved aside and her bass was cut off as well as the sound barriers around All Might and Midoriya. She fell to her feet as Katsuki blew right past her and sent an explosive punch at the warp man.

"Take that!" he yelled as he grabbed the metal can and drove it into the ground.

"Watch out, Nishiyama…"

Neon stood back up just as a path of ice appeared right where her hands were. It stretched all the way to the bird man, freezing him in place. Neon turned to see a stone faced Todoroki blinking back at her.

"Rahhh!" All Might growled as he pried open the birdman's hands and backflipped next to Todoroki.

"Here I come!" Kirishima announced as he charged from the air with a hardened fist towards the man in the hand. The villain jumped away at the last second and the boy hurriedly stepped back to stay in line with the heroes, "Damn it. I didn't get to show off."

"Midoriya...All Might...You guys okay?" Neon asked.

"Thank you for your concern, Young Nishiyama. I'm fine!" All Might declared.

"Tch. Not acting so high and mighty now? Huh, you foggy nobody," Katsuki growled at the warp man, who was struggling to get away.

"K-Kacchan...Everyone…" Midoriya whispered as tears formed in his eyes.

"Wipe those tears away," Neon said and then nodded towards the hand man, "The day hasn't been saved yet."

The hand man sighed. "Kurogiri...our exit and entrance has been overcome. We're in a pinch."

Katsuki's smirk deepened. "You careless bastard. You're just what I thought you'd be. Only certain parts of you can turn into a misty warp gate. The fog gate covered your actual body, right?"

"Ah!" Kurogiri struggled even harder which earned him a few light blasts from Katsuki's palm.

A crazed smile grew on the boy's face. "Don't move! If I feel like you're moving suspiciously, then I'll blow you up!"

"His behavior isn't very hero-like…" Kirishima chuckled.

"And he sounds like a psychopath," Neon added.

The hand man turned to the half frozen bird man. "Nomu…" he said.

The ice shook and crackled as the bird struggled to pull himself back up to a standing position through the warp. As he did so, his right arm and leg shattered off. Still, he managed to balance himself and crawl a step closer to the hand man.

"Even though his body's broken...he's still moving?!" MIdoriya gasped.

"Get back, everyone!" All Might ordered.

The last bits of Todoroki's ice broke off the bird man as muscles pushed out of the bird man's right shoulder socket and right leg. His limbs re-grew and he stood tall once more.

"What? Isn't his Quirk shock absorption?!" All Might demanded.

The hand man laughed. "I didn't say that was _all_ he had. This is his super regeneration. Nomu has been modified to take you at 100%."

Neon gulped. _Multiple Quirks...Modifications…? They might have sent thugs after us but this...this right here is a bonafide supervillain…_

"But first.." the hand man said, "We need to get back our gate...Go, Nomu."

"N-"

Neon couldn't even get out the first word let alone shout a full warning to the Noisy Boy. A shockwave sent her, Todoroki, Kirishima, and Midoriya flying forward as two forces collided where Katsuki was kneeling with the warp man. Something skidded back and hit through a wall that separated the forest zone from the shipwreck zone.

"I got you!" Kirishima said as he grabbed Neon with one hand and then punched the floor with his hardened fist to keep both of them from flying any further.

"I didn't need your help," Neon said, pulling her arm away and getting to her feet, "But I appreciate the gesture."

"KACCHAN!" Midoriya shouted but then he jumped when he realized that Noisy Boy was sitting right between him and Kirishima. "Eh? You dodged?! That's amazing!"

"No! Shut up, scum!" Katsuki yelled back.

"Then...what happened?" Kirishima asked.

Neon pointed at the broken wall, where All Might stood with his arms in front of him in a blocking stance. "Was that punch intended for a child?! Do you not know how to hold back?" he coughed to the hand man.

"It was to rescue my companions. I had no choice," the hand man said, "I mean earlier...that plain looking one...He was about to punch me with everything he had, you know. Violence for the sake of others makes it admirable. Isn't that right, hero?'

The hand man threw out his arms. "You know what, All Might? I'm angry! I'm angry at this world that categorizes the same violent acts as heroic or villainous, deciding what's good and what's bad. 'Symbol of Peace'? HA! You're just a device to repress violence. Violence only breeds violence. The world will know this once we kill you!"

"Preposterous...The eyes of white-collar criminals like you burn silently. You just want to enjoy this yourself, don't you, you liar?!" All Might shot back.

Todoroki stepped forward. "It's three against six…"

"Ah," Midoriya murmured back, "Kacchan already exposed the fog's weakness."

"And that Nomu thing only seems to react to the hand guy's voice," Neon added.

"These guys are crazy but if we backup All Might, we can push them back," Kirishima said.

"NO!" All Might ordered, "Run away."

"You would've been in trouble if I hadn't done anything earlier, right?" Todoroki asked.

"That was a different story, Young Todoroki...And you have my thanks," All Might said, "But it's all fine now."

"We'd be poor excuses for heroes if we turn our backs now," Neon said.

All MIght threw out his arm and gave a thumbs up. "Then just watch as a pro gives it everything he's got, Young Nishiyama."

"Nomu...Kurogiri, get him. I'll deal with the children," the hand guy ordered. The villains sprung into action with Nomu sprinting the furthest ahead towards All Might while the hand guy ran towards the students.

"I...am the SYMBOL OF...PEACE!" All Might roared as his fist collided once more with the bird man's but this time the aftershock was ten times more forceful.

Hand guy tumbled back in the air and landed spryly on his feet but also very far away from the students while the warp guy was blown in the opposite direction. Neon, herself, had to lean forward and close to the ground to keep herself from getting blown away too as All Might and Nomu struck again and again at each other with equal power.

"W-Whoa!" Kirishima shouted as a particularly heavy force forced him back.

Neon could feel herself straightening up from the wind despite her efforts. She put up a bubble barrier in hopes that it would help but it popped almost as quickly as it formed. Just when she was about to fall back, her back hit something cold and hard that kept her in place. She glanced over her shoulder and saw a small pillar of ice behind her and then she looked to her right to Todoroki.

"You looked like you needed help this time," he said. His voice barely audible over the increased ringing in her ears.

"Ah...Thanks."


	11. Sounds Like There Are Repercussions I

Ch 11 - Sounds Like There Are Repercussions I

Neon gathered with the rest of the class outside of USJ. The ringing in her ears had not subsided, in fact, it had increased to a deafening level but that was fine by her. She was too lost in her thoughts to listen to whatever the police had to say. Although to be more specific, it was just one thought that kept repeating in her mind like a broken record.

 _So...that's what it takes to be a hero?_

Over and over, she replayed All Might's astounding battle with Nomu. Their punches were too fast for the naked eye and so strong that they practically landscaped the forest zone into a park with clumps of trees in designated areas. Even with each amazing punch, All Might did not weaken. In fact, he seemed to only get stronger and with a loud "PLUS ULTRA!", he had sent Nomu flying right out of the glass dome and out into the horizon.

Once that happened, there was a tense stand-off between the hand guy and All Might. As the hand guy came for All Might, Midoriya had launched himself towards the villain in an attempt to…

Neon paused at that memory.

 _Was he there to save All Might? Did the great hero need saving?_

She felt a hand on her shoulder. She glanced up and saw that it was Todoroki, who had been standing next to her the whole time. They were at the back of the group with Ojiro and Hagakure standing a little distance away from them. She tilted her head questioningly as Todoroki said some inaudible words. He paused and then he pointed forward. She turned and winced when she saw that everyone, including the police, were staring at her expectantly.

She looked over at Tenya, who was standing at the front of the group, and she pointed at her ear.

"SIDE EFFECT!"

She couldn't hear her own voice to adjust the volume but she knew she must've shouted it too excessively when she saw how everyone jumped back away from her in surprise. Everyone, except for Tenya, who pushed up his glasses and started to gesture while speaking to the policeman.

The policeman, who stood before them, was a man with a kind face. He wore a beige trench coat over his white collared shirt and blue tie with a beige hat and white gloves. He scribbled on a notebook he had and then flashed it towards Neon.

" _Do you need medical attention?"_

Neon shook her head. It should only be temporary. She had pushed herself too hard but she didn't regret it. She took out her phone and typed something in her notebook app. Then she nudged Todoroki and showed it to him.

" _How's Aizawa Sensei and 13 Sensei? Did they say?"_

Todoroki took her phone from her hands and began to type. When he handed it back, Neon's heart sank into her stomach as she read the diagnosis.

" _A - Fractures in arms and face. No serious brain damage but his eyes took heavy damage. He may suffer heavy after effects. 13 - Lacerations from back to upper arm but he'll survive."_

"GOD DAMN IT!" Neon shouted, which caused everyone to jump again and look at her. She glared at no one in particular and then shot it towards the sky. Her fingers tightened around her phone. The teachers got hurt trying to protect the students. They got hurt trying to protect _her_. The whole point of her being here was that she could learn how to protect others. Add that to the heroic display by All Might and it was so obvious to Neon how far she was from being at hero level. It was all very frustrating.

Her phone buzzed in her hand. When she looked down, she saw that it was a text from Tenya. It was a rundown of what the police had told them.

Along with Aizawa and Thirteen's state, the police also said that All Might and Midoriya were at the nurse's office. Their injuries could be treated with Recovery Girl's Quirk so there was no need for hospitalization. The class was to return to the classroom and then wait for questioning.

Neon scrolled through the unnecessarily wordy text. When she read through it all, she looked up at Tenya and gave him a thumbs up. The class waited for the bus and when it arrived, everyone got on and took whatever seat was available. Everyone's adrenaline was still pumping high from the events and they were eager to discuss with each other. Since Aizawa was not there, a police officer was dispatched to accompany them back to the school.

That's why Neon was glad to end up sitting next to Todoroki again. He didn't seem like he was ever up for a lively discussion and she wasn't currently the best listener anyways. Neon leaned her arms over the top of her legs and put her face in her hands.

She was annoyed with both the ringing in her ears and her own helplessness. She could've done more. She should've acted faster. If she had only gotten out of the urban zone quicker, she could've...Neon's mind went blank, which aggravated her even more. She didn't know what else she could do. She lacked the experience and know how. What could she have done?!

She rubbed her face with her hands and then sat back in her chair with a scowl on her face. Todoroki nudged her elbow with his to get her attention and then pointed across the aisle at Kirishima, who had his own phone in hand. Neon took it from him and saw the screen.

 _If you keep doing that, you're going to end up looking like this guy..._

She blinked and looked back up at Kirishima. He grinned and sat back in his seat so that she could see Bakugou glaring into his own angered reflection in the window.

Immediately, Neon's expression went blank and she wrote back on Kirishima's phone.

 _Don't ever compare me to him again._

Kirishima laughed and motioned for his phone back. He quickly typed something new and returned it to her.

 _You're not the only one who is feeling frustrated. We'll work hard and get them next time._

Neon looked up and this time, she cracked a smile on one side of her lips. She returned the phone and then leaned back in her chair. Yes...Rome wasn't built in a day and neither was a superhero. Everyone had to start from somewhere and this was her starting line. The road to become a strong hero was a marathon, not a sprint and she needed to be patient.

 _Thunk._

Neon jumped a bit when Todoroki's head slumped over and inadvertently bounced off her shoulder. It startled her and woke him up at the same time. A blush came to his cheeks and his mouth moved to say something but then he caught himself. She shook her head and gave him a smile to let him know that she understood it was an accident.

The bus pulled to a stop at the school and when they got out of the bus, Neon could see the press still at the front gate. Neon could tell that the group of reporters had grown considerably in size. Word must've gotten out already that there was an incident involving the students. They were yelling at them with their mics thrusted forward and the cameras were flashing sporadically like fireworks.

The students first stopped in the locker rooms to change back into their school uniform and when Neon returned to the classroom, she was surprised to see that she was one of the first ones to return. It was just her, Todoroki, and Katsuki in the room.

Katsuki's eyes narrowed at the sight of her and his mouth opened. Then he thought better of it and continued to glare out the window.

 _Is that how to shut him up? Just feign being deaf?_

Neon went to her desk and she cupped her ears with her hands, increasing the volume of the ringing. She uncupped it again and the volume went back down. It was taking too long for her hearing to return and she didn't want to wait any more. She hurriedly tapped on her phone and shoved the screen in front of Todoroki's face so he could read it.

" _I'm going to see Recovery Girl about my ears."_

Todoroki gave her a nod and then she headed off. She opened the door to the nurse's office with more force than intended and then she froze.

On the cots by Recovery Girl's desk were Midoriya, who had his eyes so wide that she could only see white, and a gaunt man, whose chest was covered in bandages. The man looked like he'd snap in half with a strong enough sneeze. His eyes were sunken to the point that it was just a shadow where pupils should be and his blonde hair fell in limp clumps with two long bangs framing his face.

 _...The police guy said All Might and Midoriya were sent here for treatment...They should be the only two here...Is that guy….Is he…?!_

Recovery Girl was suddenly in front of her. She grabbed Neon's hand, succeeding in tearing Neon's attention away from the two patients. The nurse shut the door and motioned for Neon to take a seat next to her desk. Neon sighed and opened her mouth.

"I CAN'T HEAR YOU! THAT'S WHY I'M HERE!"

The nurse turned to her other two patients, who both had sweat beading down their faces.

The nurse said something to them that made them straighten up and look at each other. They started to discuss something as Recovery Girl gestured again for Neon to take a seat by her desk. Neon dutifully did so this time. The nurse sat at her own seat and stuck her hand out near the sides of Neon's face. Whatever she was doing, Neon didn't know and she could only stare blankly back at the nurse.

"I GET LOUD RINGING IN MY EARS WHEN I OVERUSE MY QUIRK! IT USUALLY GOES AWAY BY NOW BUT IT HASN'T!"

Recovery Girl's lips pursed grimly and she gave a nod of understanding. Then she turned Neon's face away from her and towards the wall. When Neon felt wet lips right on her ears, she fell right out of the seat.

 _Clang!_

"WHAT THE HELL?!" Neon yelled as her hand went up to her ear. She looked at the fallen chair, "Hey! I heard that!"

"Well, of course you did! You think my name is Recovery Girl just for funsies?" the nurse sighed as she took a wrapped hard candy out of a desk drawer, "Want some candy?"

"I'm good," Neon said as she got up to her feet, "Thanks, Recovery-"

"THERE'S A PERFECTLY GOOD EXPLANATION ON WHO THIS MAN IS, NISHIYAMA-SAN! HE'S...HE'S...HE'S JUST A SUPER FAN LIKE ME! SEE? HE EVEN CUT HIS HAIR JUST LIKE ALL MIGHT!"

Neon turned and gaped at Midoriya's antics. He was almost completely doused in sweat and he was giving Tenya a run for his money for how much gesturing he was doing.

"WAIT! More importantly, how are all the other students? Is everyone else okay?" shouted the man with a voice that was distinctly familiar.

Neon folded her arms across the chest. "Midoriya...you are a terrible liar. Even without hearing All Might Sensei's voice, I could tell you were full of shit."

Midoriya gulped while Neon sighed.

"As for how everyone is doing...Some of us have light injuries but nothing as bad as me...Or Midoriya, for that matter. And...Aizawa and Thirteen Sensei...They are in stable condition for now," Neon said.

"I see," All Might said as Midoriya let out a sigh of relief.

"So it really is you, Sensei," Neon said.

"...and I'd prefer if you kept this a secret, Young Nishiyama," All Might admitted as he cupped his hands in his lap and stared at it, "You see...I-"

Neon held up her hand. "Naw. I'm good." All Might's head snapped up and Neon shrugged. "I'm not the type to get into anyone's business without permission. Even heroes deserve some privacy."

Neon turned to walk out the door. "Thanks for the healing, Recovery Girl Sensei."

"My pleasure," the nurse said as she helped herself to a lollipop.

"Actually, Young NIshiyama…" All Might said before Neon could open the door, "I...feel obligated to tell you now that you've seen me in this state."

"All Might! Are you sure?" Midoriya gasped.

"It...It might be easier for you as well to have someone to discuss these things with when I'm not available, Young Midoriya," All Might said slowly, "And...Young Nishiyama does have a good head on her shoulders."

"It really is your choice," Neon said as she leaned against the door.

All Might nodded. "Take a seat, Young Nishiyama...and I'll tell you everything in regards to me and Young Midoriya."

Neon sat back down and she listened attentively. She knew that in the world of Quirks, nothing really is impossible but hearing about One For All and how a Quirkless Midoriya ended up inheriting it still sounded quite ludicrous to Neon. It was like a story out of a fairytale. A boy's deepest desire to be like his hero had come true to the extreme.

"That does explain a lot," Neon admitted when All Might was done. She raked a hand through her hair and exhaled, "Quite a lot actually...Why Midoriya ran to save you even though you told us to take Aizawa Sensei to safety...Why his Quirk resembles you in some way but no one can really put a finger on what exactly...Why Midoriya keeps getting hurt…"

Midoriya winced as Neon eyed his bandaged legs.

"And...also why Sensei always arrives exactly when training starts and then runs off as soon as class is over," Neon said and this time it was All Might's turn to look sheepish, "How long do you have now?"

"I'm hoping one hour…" All Might admitted as he leaned against his arms, "That fight with Nomu...It really took a lot out of me."

Neon glanced over at Midoriya, who had a worried look on his face.

"You need to work on your poker face," Neon said, "You're too straight forward, Midoriya. Villains would be able to read you like a book."

Midoriya scratched the back of his head and he chuckled nervously.

 _Is this guy really going to be the next Symbol of Peace?_

"Excuse me..."

The door slid open and Neon saw that it was the police officer in the trench coat.

 _So that's what his voice sounds like…Friendly...Young..._

"Tsukauchi! You're here too?!" All Might exclaimed, spitting out blood as he did so.

"Ah!" Neon couldn't help but jump back at the blood spurt.

"Sorry to scare you, Young Nishiyama!" All Might said, "This happens from time to time. Think nothing of it."

Neon's eyebrows raised to the top of her head. It didn't look like nothing.

"Is it okay for _this_ guy to see you in this form?!" Midoriya asked.

"Yeah, it's fine. Why? Because he's Tsukauchi Naomas, my best friend in the force," All Might said and then frowned at the door, "Although, we should put a lock or a bell on that door…"

Tsukauchi chuckled. "Don't worry. I have two guards now stationed on both sides of the hall. No one should be coming in here…" His voice trailed off and he looked at Neon, "...Any more…"

Neon shrugged.

"Sorry to cut to the chase, but I need details about the villains," Tsukauchi said.

"The leader of the group was the guy with a bunch of severed hands attached to his face and body," Neon said before All Might could even think about answering, "Nomu, that bird brain that All Might Sensei took on...he seemed to respond only to the hand guy's voice and the warping guy kept deferring to him when it came to deciding on what to do. Also, all that stuff the hand guy was saying about violence...he sounded like he was taunting us or at least saying stuff he didn't really mean. He must've spouted that nonsense out to those thugs he got to come after us. They were all small timers that we easily took out and they must've been pretty simple minded to be convinced with his fake reason. Also...the hand guy…he had no qualms revealing Nomu's multiple Quirks, which is odd. The element of surprise is a big factor in fights and for him to say it so easily...It sounded like a child bragging about his new toy. At least...that's what I thought. What did you think, All Might Sensei? Midoriya?"

"...That's...what I gathered too…Well done, Young Nishiyama," All Might croaked out as he leaned back against his pillow, "He thought everything was going to go his way and he acted out when it didn't. The picture I get of the young man named Shigaraki is a man-child...Someone who hasn't gotten rid of his childish sense of omnipotence."

Tsukauchi scribbled every word down on the pad and he nodded. "Thank you. That does help. It's a good thing that you three were were there, otherwise the students would not have survived."

"You're wrong, Tsukauchi," All Might said, "The students also fought and risked their lives."

"All Might…" Midoriya whispered.

"Have there even been any first years who experienced a real fight this soon, survived, and learned of fear and the world of adults?" All Might asked, "The villains did something dumb. They underestimated these young ones. This class is strong and they will become strong heroes. I am certain of it."

Neon blinked. With a vote of confidence from the greatest hero in the world, her frustrations now felt like a distant nightmare.

All Might looked to Midoriya and Neon and he smiled. Even with this frail frame, there was no mistaking those pearly whites. He jutted out a thumbs up sign and Neon couldn't help but give a small smile back.


	12. Sounds Like There Are Repercussions II

**Ch 12 - Sounds Like There Are Repercussions II**

"Nee-chan! It's you! IT'S YOU AGAIN!" Akia exclaimed. She pointed at the nearest tv screen and then clapped her hands together.

It was the day after the incident and school was closed temporarily because of it. Thus, Neon spent the day with her sister, helping her along with her homeschooling as well as keeping her company while being productive at the same time.

"One thousand...one...hundred!" Neon grunted as she finished her last sit-up. She flopped back onto the floor, waited for a moment to feel the burn fade from her core, and then she hauled herself back up to a seated position. Sweat dripped down her chin and clung to her clothes, sticking it to her body like a second skin. She looked at the monitor and she pursed her lips. "Yep...That's me.."

Footage of Class 1-A getting off the bus and returning to school played again on the news. Once the story got out that the elite hero school were attacked by villains, the news was having a field day with it. Every channel that had even a remote affiliation with news or journalism was talking about it. Entertainment news. Sports news. Even the channel that usually broadcasted about animals living in nature. How they managed to tie in a villain attack with the hunting abilities of tigers was worth commending, in Neon's opinion.

"Akia...Can we please watch something else? Don't you want to watch cartoons?" Neon groaned, "And stand back from the monitor. You're too close. Do you want to end up being the first person in our family to get glasses?"

Akia shook her head as she paused the screen, her feet stuck in her spot in front of . A few strands of her black hair came loose from her ponytail and they swept over her almond shaped brown eyes, which narrowed to stare more intently at the broadcast. Besides the coloring of her features, she could not have looked more different to Neon since Akia seemed to have inherited the physical resemblance from her mother. "Nee-chan! Nee-chan! Are all of these people in your class? What's that guy's Quirk? What about that girl's? Oh! That guy looks mean!"

"Yeah...That's Noisy Boy...The one I told you about," Neon said.

"And what about the guy you were stuck with in the training zone?"

"That's Ojiro. The guy on the left."

"Ooh! Is that his tail? Cool," Akia breathed, "Oh! There's the girl that's entirely pink! She's so cute! And that girl next to her! Her costume is completely pink too!"

"Ah..That's Ochaco. The girl who can make things float," Neon said.

"Awesome," Akia said and she clasped her hands in front of her, "Nee-chan...Do you think one day I can go to UA too?"

Neon stiffened. She did not want to make any promises she wasn't confident in keeping. "I'm not sure, Akia," she ended up saying.

Akia ran to Neon and she clenched her fists tightly in front of her. "I'll work really...REALLY hard...Like this!"

She opened her hands and Neon quickly put her own hands over her sister's, covering the big shining diamonds that had formed in her sister's tiny, soft hands.

"A-All of you guys, stand outside. I can take it from here," Neon shouted over to the bodyguards standing near the door.

"Yes, Ojou-san," they said as they filed out of the room. When they were gone, Neon sighed and lifted up her hands.

"What is the number one rule, Akia?"

Akia gulped. "I can only use my Quirk when it's just family in the room." Her head lowered. "I'm sorry."

Neon put a hand on Akia's head. "It's okay. You got caught up in the moment...Just don't let it happen again...Now...Can Nee-chan see what you made?"

Akia handed Neon the diamonds and Neon's throat tightened when she saw how clear and bright they were. They were big too, 1 carat each at least. Akia's Quirk was getting stronger.

"They're pretty...That's why people want them...Right, Nee-chan?" Akia asked.

Neon nodded. "Ah...Some people will do bad things to get what they want," she said and she bent down so that they were eye level, "So you have to protect yourself."

Akia nodded. "En. I will be safe...and be smart, like Nee-chan!"

 _Knock! Knock!_

Neon quickly stuffed the diamonds in her pocket as the door opened. She frowned when her brother came into the room. He stopped for just a second when he saw the paused news report on the tv but then he continued on his way towards his sisters. His tie was pulled loose and his sleeves were pushed up to his elbows. His usually neatly parted hair had come loose and a few strands of hair hung over his left eye. Neon had actually never seen Koushi even an ounce frazzled before and he looked stressed. Really stressed.

"What happened?" Neon asked, "Stock market crash?"

Koushi coughed and then fixed his tie. "Just taking care of business while Father is away."

"Father is always away," Neon said.

Koushi's eyes trailed up towards the tv screen. "Were there a lot of them?"

"Villains? Only 3. Thugs? Yeah. There were a lot. They were more nuisances than a hazard though," Neon said.

Her brother looked down on the ground and he chuckled. "Is that so?"

Koushi wasn't acting like his usual self and it irritated Neon to no end. "What'd you come in here for?"

"Two things...the school called and they'd like for you to come in an hour early tomorrow."

Neon blinked. "For what?'

Koushi shrugged. "Secondly, I just got off the phone with Father and Mother. They have cut their trip short. They are arriving home tomorrow," Koushi said and he looked solemnly at Neon, "They heard the news."

Neon grimaced. If there was anything her father hated more, it was a spectacle. The Nishiyama family avoided scandal and the spotlight like a plague. Her being on the news, even if it wasn't her fault and even if she wasn't the focus, was not something she'd expect her father to be too happy about.

"Thanks for the warning," Neon conceded and her brother gave a small nod.

"Father and Mother are coming home," Akia said with a tug on both her brother and sister's sleeve, "That means a big family dinner, yes?"

Neon forced a smile and she nodded. "Yep."

"Yay!" Akia laughed, "I love family dinners!"

Neon sighed. If only she could share the same sentiment.

* * *

The next day, Neon was annoyed to find that all her own classmates wanted to talk about was being on the news too. She was already dreading the berating she would inevitably get from her father. Must she be reminded of it so early in the morning?

"But man, all the channels made a big deal out of it!" Denki laughed as Neon walked past his desk.

"I was surprised," Kirishima admitted.

Jiro stopped twirling her earphone jack and she shrugged. "The hero course that keeps pumping out pro heroes was attacked for real. Of course everyone wants to talk about it."

"Who knows what would've happened if the teachers hadn't come when they did?" Sero sighed with relief.

 _Slam!_

She stood from her chair, her arms braced against her desk and she glared at her stunned classmates. "Aizawa Sensei and Thirteen Sensei were both seriously injured from that incident. Don't talk and laugh as if it's all water under the bridge because it's not. There are people still suffering from the consequences."

"R-Right...Sorry, Nishiyama…" Denki said sheepishly as Neon took her seat.

"Everyone! Morning homeroom is about to start!" Tenya yelled as he charged into the room, "Stop talking and take your seats!"

"We're already in our seats…" Kirishima said, "You're the only one who's not."

"Shoot…" Tenya growled as he heeded his own demand. His whole body shook from frustration and slight embarrassment.

"Don't worry about it," Ochaco said, "But...don't you and Neon usually come to school together? How come she arrived before you?"

"I had to come in early to help the school out with something," Neon yawned.

"Help with what?" Kirishima asked.

The door to the classroom opened.

"Morning…"

The entire class leapt to their feet at the sight of their homeroom teacher wrapped from head to toe in bandages. "Aizawa Sensei! You're back too soon!" they shouted in unison.

"Y-You're too professional…" Denki gasped.

Tenya's hand shot in the air. "Aizawa Sensei, are you really alright?!"

"Could you call that 'all right'?!" Ochaco whispered behind him.

"My well-being isn't important. What's important is the fight is not yet over," Aizawa said.

"Don't tell me…" Midoriya exclaimed.

Neon's eyes widened. "The villains?!" she demanded.

Aizawa lowered his head. "The UA sports festival is drawing near," he stated solemnly.

"What?!" the students fell back in their chairs, "That's a super normal school event!"

"Is it really okay to have a sports festival so soon after the villains got inside school premises?!" Jiro asked.

"What if they attack again?" Ojiro asked.

"Apparently, they think of it as UA showing that our crisis management system is solid as a rock by holding the event," Aizawa stated, "Security will also be strengthened to five times that of previous years. Nishiyama has also been good enough to add some of her own sound bubbles around the premises. So...all students are advised...don't touch them if you come across any of them, unless you want half the faculty coming at you with all they've got."

"Yes, sir!" the students called while Neon stifled another yawn.

"Happy to help."

"Above all, our sports festival is a huge chance. It's not an event to be cancelled because of a few villains," Aizawa Sensei continued, "Our sports festival is one of Japan's biggest events."

"Of course, all the top heroes around the country will be watching," Momo added, "For scouting purposes."

"Ah. Joining a famous hero agency will get you more experience and popularity," Aizawa said, "Time is limited. If you expect to go pro, then the path to your future will open up at this event. One chance of the year...For a total of just three chances. No aspiring heroes can afford to miss this event. If you understand that, then don't slack off on your preparations."

"Yes, sir!" the class said while Neon's lips untwisted from a frown.

"Aizawa Sensei," Neon called out, "Any way I can avoid participating?"

"EH?!"

The class turned to Neon. Even the teacher took a second to digest her question and he slowly leaned over the podium, as if honing all of in his attention on her.

"Didn't you hear what I just said?" Aizawa asked, "This is a path you must take if you expect to go pro."

"Yeah. I heard you," Neon said, "For experience and popularity...But I'm not in it for popularity...And wouldn't I get experience once I get my pro license?"

"To get experience, you must be working at a hero agency," Aizawa said, "And to do that, the pro hero must be aware of your skills and your experience in order to hire you. This is your opportunity to showcase your potential."

"This is the only way?" Neon asked.

"Yes...At this time," Aizawa said.

"Aha! At _this_ time! But there will be others! Can't I wait for another opportunity then? Is there one where I don't have to strut around and do tricks in front of cameras like a dog show?"

"Nishiyama!" Aizawa barked. His usually quiet and solemn voice was now replaced by a thundering shout that left no room for questioning and any doubt of his authority, "It would be irrational for you to waste this opportunity. This is a big stepping stone in order to become a pro hero. There might be other ways but nothing will be as effective as the sports festival. Do I make myself clear?"

Neon drew in a breath and she gave a slow and very hesitant nod.

"Homeroom adjourned. Please prep for your next class," Aizawa said as he walked out of the room.

Neon rested her chin on her hand and scowled. First she had to deal with her parents and now she had to prep for a bogus sports competition? It was such a complete waste of time. If the heroes were truly scouting for potential talent, they should hold private tryouts or something. Why pit the hero course with the rest of the student body? It was all just a public display of nonsense.

This was the worst day ever.

Neon trudged through the morning's classes and when it was lunchtime, Neon couldn't wait to get out of the room and to just go somewhere. However, now everyone was talking about the sports festival.

"I'm going to do my very best! LET'S GIVE IT OUR ALL!" Ochaco yelled with determination as they walked to the cafeteria together along with Iida and Midoriya.

"Nishiyama-san and Uraraka-san…" Midoriya asked, "There's something I've been meaning to ask you two…"

"What is it?" Ochaco asked.

"Why did you guys decide to become to UA and become a pro hero?"

Ochaco scratched the back of her head. "Money…" she admitted sheepishly and that surprised even Neon, "To put it simply, yes…Money..." She bowed to them repeatedly. "S-Sorry if it's such an unwholesome reason. You guys all seem to have such admirable motivations, it's embarrassing."

"Why?" Tenya asked as he threw his arms up in the air, "How is having a goal to support your livelihood not admirable?"

Ochaco sighed. "My family owns a construction company...but we haven't gotten any work at all...So we're flat broke. This isn't really something to tell other people, though."

"If you get your license, you'd be able to use your Quirk to bring construction costs way down, right?" Midoriya asked, "No need for heavy lifting so less cost for labor and equipment."

"RIGHT?! That's what I told Dad when I was little!" Ochaco said as she pumped her fist in the air and then she sighed again, "But...they told me they didn't want my help. They'd be happier if I could just achieve my dreams."

"You have great parents," Neon said.

"That's why…" Ochaco said as she gripped the hem of her skirt, "That's why I have to become a pro hero . I'll earn lots and lots of money and let my parents take it easy."

 _Clap! Clap! Clap!_

"BRAVOOOOO!" Tenya cheered as he clapped his hands over his head, "Uraraka-kun! Bravo!"

Ochaco blushed and then looked over at Neon. "What about you, Nishiyama-san?"

"Power."

Ochaco slanted to the side. "Eh? Power?"

"I want to be powerful," Neon said and then gave a shrug to emphasize the end of her statement.

Midoriya blinked. "That's it?"

"That's it."

"Nothing else to add to that?"

"Nope.

"Really?"

"Yep."

"But-"

"Ah ha! Young Midoriya is here!" All Might came charging across the hallway and he pointed his finger at the green haired boy.

"All Might! What are you doing here?" Midoriya asked.

All MIght lifted up a pale blue lunch sack. "Lunch! Wanna eat together?"

"He's like a maiden!" Ochaco sputtered.

"How about it?" All MIght asked and then he directed his smile at Neon, "Oh! Young Nishiyama! I almost forgot. Principal Nezu sent me to get you."

Neon blinked. "Me?"

"Your father and brother are in his office right now. Your presence is demanded."

"What?!" Neon gasped.

"Koushi-san too?" Tenya asked as he adjusted his glasses.

All Might jutted out his thumb and his teeth gleamed in the sunlight. "Young Nishiyama...Just remember, no matter what happens...Go beyond...Plus Ultra!"

Neon had no clue what the Symbol of Peace advice was intended to mean, let alone what her family was doing at the principal's office. Whatever the case, she knew it was bad news. She sprinted through the school and practically kicked down the principal's door to get in. When she entered, she was out of breath and nervous as hell.

"Ah. You're here! Would you like some tea, Neon-chan?" the principal asked brightly from his desk while her father and brother stood stoically on the other side. They turned to look at her with grim expressions on their faces.

"I'm okay. Thank you, Principal Nezu," Neon said as she slowly closed the door behind her and walked towards her father.

"As I was telling the principal here," her father said, "There has been a mistake. No child of mine will be a pro hero. Making a fool of themselves in the public eye...All that peacocking around...No! I will not have it. I am withdrawing you from this school effective immediately."

"What?!" Neon gasped, "No! Father. You can't do that!"

"I most certainly can and-"

 _Sluuuuuuurp!_

Principal Nezu took a long sip of tea from his porcelain teacup. Then he set it down on a saucer, next to a small stack of paper. He pushed it forward and he smiled at the flustered parent. "You know...today, on my way to school, I saw a leaf floating in the wind…"

 _Oh, here we go,_ Neon inwardly groaned.

"...And I couldn't help but wonder how far is it from the tree that it grew on? Where is the wind taking it? It is very much similar to how a child can naturally stray far from their parents," the principal said, "Although sometimes, it's the parent that strays far from the child. My point is, Nishiyama-san...Neon-chan is right. You can't do that. You do not have that authority…"

 _Huh?!_

The principal then turned towards Koushi and he folded his hands in his lap, "I believe _you do_ , the other Nishiyama-san, since you are the one who signed as the legal guardian for this child on the application form."

Koushi nodded "Ah. Yes. My parents has given me legal guardianship over my sister. I have been placed in that role for three years now."

"It was a mistake for him to agree to my daughter's enrollment! A rather uncharacteristically lapse of judgement on my son's part," Junichiro blustered, "But what does it matter if he does it or I do it? What matters is that my daughter is to leave this school immediately!"

"That is true. If her legal guardian decides to withdraw her from this school, then even I, as the principal, cannot stop that from happening," Principal Nezu said with a pleasant smile still on his face, "Again...that is _if_ the legal guardian chooses to."

"I-" Koushi started to say.

 _Pop! Pop!_

Two sound barriers appeared over her brother and father's head as Neon glared at the two of them. "Enough blabbering out of the two of you," Neon seethed, "It's my turn to do the talking now so you will listen to what _I_ have to say."

She saw her father try to say something and his hands went to claw at the sound barrier but Neon was having none of it. She was tired and angry.

So very angry.

"'Legal guardian'. 'Father'…Stupid, empty titles. What right do EITHER of you have over my life?!" Neon yelled, feeling her throat tighten and tears of frustration come to her eyes, "Neither of you have been there for Akia, let alone me. When was the last time you spent a full day with either of us? Where were either of you when she took her first steps? Where were you when she said her first words? What about when she was taken the first time? And the second? Were you there to protect her? To get her back when she got kidnapped? No! It was me. It was always just _me_!"

The two men remained silent and neither of them made a move against her barrier so that gave Neon every opportunity to unleash every bone she had to pick with them. She knew she should stop but she had already crossed a line so she was going to take All Might Sensei's advice. Go beyond...Plus Ultra.

"What about Mom?" Neon whispered through gritted teeth and that got at least a guilt-filled eye aversion from her brother, "Where were either of you when she died? She needed you there on her last day. _I_ needed you there."

 _Pop! Pop!_

She broke both barriers at once to see what either of these had to say for themselves.

"Neon...I didn't know it would be Mom's last day..." Koushi said weakly.

"BULLSHIT! Utter bullshit!" Neon shouted, "I was 5 years old and even _I_ could tell Mom was really sick. Every day could've been a last day with her towards the end. You ran away and hid in your books because _you_ couldn't handle it!"

She turned to her father. "Is that why you don't want me to be a hero? Because you don't want to be reminded of my Quirk? Of Mom's Quirk?!"

Junichiro cleared his throat. "Neon. Watch your tone. Don't take that voice with me."

"No! I've watched my tone this whole time! I tried to play by your rules because that's what Mom told me to be. To be helpful around the house. To be useful...Because you two can't do jackshit!" Neon yelled, "I _will_ become a pro hero because that's what Akia needs. Someone she can rely on. I'm doing what I can to make her world safer while you two are just trying to hide from it!"

"Well said…"

Neon gasped, having completely forgot the principal's existence once she started her tirade. She turned to him, wiped her tears with the back of her sleeve, and she bowed her head. "Sorry you had to hear that, Principal Nezu."

"Not at all, Neon-chan," Principal Nezu said, "I like a fighting spirit within my student...and since you haven't withdrawn, _yet,_ might I make a suggestion as someone still responsible for your growth and education?"

Neon nodded.

"The sports festival is in a few weeks...Why don't you use that to prove to your family your potential?" Principal Nezu said with a smile, "Prove that the skills that you've gained thus far isn't just for...What was it you said, Nishiyama-san?...Oh, yes...Making a fool of yourself in the public eye and peacocking around. That you will become a strong and dependable hero?"

"What?" Neon asked, "But wouldn't me participating in the sports festival prove exactly that?"

"Not if you place in the top 3…" Principal Nezu said as he picked up his teacup again and took a sip.

"Top 3?" Koushi repeated.

Principal Nezu nodded. "Then it proves that Neon-chan's abilities are not for show. That her skills and experience actually counts for something…something that even the top heroes in the world recognize as potential."

Silence clouded the office as Neon stared at the principal.

"What do you say, Nishiyama-san?"

Junichiro clenched his fist and he begrudgingly nodded his head. "Fine. If Neon places in the top 3, we will not withdraw her...BUT no funny business. You can't manipulate the scores to help her. She needs to win it fair and square."

"I am accustomed to presiding over the third year's events so I will not even be present that day for the first years. This deal will also stay within these walls. None of the teachers need to be aware," Principal Nezu said placed a paw on his heart and another paw in the air. "Most of all, I would not have it any other way."

Then he turned to smile at Neon, "What about you, Neon-chan? What do you say?"

Neon took a deep breath. "I still think the sports festival is a complete waste of time and energy but I'm willing to set that aside…"

She stuck out her hand towards her father. "Go beyond, right?" she grumbled.

"Plus Ultra," the principal finished as he watched Neon and her father shake on the deal.


	13. Sounds Like an Incentive

**Ch 13 - Sounds Like an Incentive**

Neon's earliest memories of her birth mother, her real mother, was of her playing the piano. Her mother was a former concert pianist, who chose to raise a family over her career. Neon loved watching her mother play. With each note and chord, a bubble would float out from the piano until there was a gentle whirlpool of bubbles that circled over the piano. It was magical and Neon loved it.

Even her mother's laugh sounded like a beautiful arpeggio and she would laugh the most when she was in the presence of her children.

"Be useful human beings," Nishiyama Aine would often sang out to Neon and Koushi. Even her sentences had a musical lilt to it, "Do and learn as much as you can because you never know when you are needed."

Neon would remember how much the hired help and even her father would protest when Aine would roll up her sleeves and try to do all the household chores herself. Usually it ended in disaster, since Aine was a naturally clumsy person, whose grace and elegance only really came out when playing the piano.

Neon remembered the sounds of glass breaking, water spilling, and the smoke detector going off, which were all caused by her mother...and how much her mother would laugh when it happened and apologized profusely to the staff, who somehow laughed along with her while trying to fix whatever disaster she inadvertently caused.

She only stopped trying to help when she got sick...and Neon remembered that the most.

Later Neon discovered that it was stomach cancer but at the age of 4, all Neon knew was that her mother's laugh was getting quieter and the bubbles over the piano were lessening. Soon, there were no laughter and no private piano concerts for Neon and the staff. All there was, was her mother on her bed with a bunch of medical contraptions attached to her and Neon snuggling up to her side.

She would read to her mother. As many books as she could. Neon didn't care how big or heavy the books were or how much she didn't understand the actual words she voiced. Her mother would help her and to this day, Neon could hear her mother say in a breathless whisper, "Try again, Neon. There's another way to pronounce that 'o'."

In fact, Neon could still hear her mother say many things but the one that stuck closest to her heart was to be useful.

When her father remarried, Neon felt like her mother had died all over again. Everything about Aine had been stripped away by then, including her piano but having a new mistress of the house was the last step of removing her entirely from the Nishiyama household.

Something inside Neon shut down that day and she stopped interacting with what was left of her family. She went through the motions of everyday life but she didn't talk to anyone. Not even the household staff.

That was until the day Akia came home from the hospital. The baby was screaming at the top of her lungs. It was the most noise the house had heard in years and it pierced through Neon's shell. She couldn't not go see who was making that kind of racket. She had come to the nursery and with some prompting from the nanny, she held Akia in her arms. As soon as she did, the baby stopped crying and went to sleep with a small smile on her lips.

That was when Neon realized something. Her mother was right. You never know when you would be needed.

* * *

"W-What's going on?!" Ochaco screamed when she opened the classroom door to head out for the day.

Class had ended and Neon was dead tired. From her early morning to the whole mess in the principal's office, she was surprised she even got through hero training class, which thankfully was in the classroom where they learned about the different protocols for a city-wide evacuation.

Neon glanced up from her desk and saw what had caused an alarm from her classmate.

There was a mob consisting of first years. Judging from the noise outside, Neon wouldn't be surprised if half the year was right outside their door.

"What business do you have with Class A?" Tenya demanded.

"We can't get out!" Mineta grumbled, "What'd you come here for, anyway?!"

"Clearly scouting out the enemy, small fry," Katsuki said as he walked to the door, "We're the ones who made it out of the villains' attack. They're probably checking us out before the sports festival..."

"S-Small fry?!" Mineta gasped.

Katsuki stood at the door way. "There's no point in doing stuff like that. Out of my way, extras!"

"Ah!" Midoriya, Tenya, and Ochaco hurriedly jumped behind Katsuki.

"Stop calling people 'extra's just because you don't know them!" Tenya exclaimed.

"I came to see what Class 1-A was like…" came a voice, "But you seem pretty arrogant."

A couple of first years stepped aside and a boy with tall purple hair came to the front. "Are all the students in the hero course like this?" he asked.

Midoriya, Tenya, Ochaco, and Mineta shook their head vehemently while Katsuki just growled.

"Seeing something like this makes me disillusioned," the boy sighed, "There are quite a few people who enrolled in general studies or other courses because they didn't make it into the hero course. Did you know that? The school has left those of us a chance...Depending on the results of the sports festival, they'll consider our transfer into the hero course...And it seems they may also transfer people out."

He eyed Katsuki up and down and then he scoffed. "You think I'm here to scout you guys out? I'm just here to say that if you get too carried away, I'll sweep your feet out from under you. I came with a declaration of war."

"Out of my way," Neon said as she shoulder checked Katsuki to get out the door.

"OY! You wanna die?!" Katsuki barked at her but then stopped when he saw that she was eyeing the boy with the purple hair. Her chin was held high and for the first time, Katsuki felt an air of hostility from the girl.

"Don't waste your breath. No point in declaring war until we see you in the final. People at the top usually can't hear those on the bottom," she said and then her expression became bored, "I'm tired. Let me through."

"'We'?" Tenya called after her, "Does that mean you're participating whole heartedly, Nishiyama-san?!"

Neon pointed her finger up without looking back at her friend. "I'm aiming for the top, Iida-kun."

"Yes! I was worried that you would not embrace the spirit of such a vital-"

"Shut it, Side Character!" Katsuki yelled and he glowered at Neon, "What? Suddenly you're all about sports festivals now?"

"Not at all. I hate it but I have to win this one," Neon said.

"You think you can beat me, you stupid dye job?!"

Neon lifted her chin and raised a brow. "Scared, Noisy Boy?"

"OF COURSE NOT! WHY THE HELL WOULD I BE SCARED OF-"

 _Snap!_

Neon bubbled herself to block out his ranting but also to use it to clear a path for herself. As she walked out of the classroom, Midoriya and Ochaco shared a worried gaze.

"Something must've happened at the principal's office…" Ochaco said, "Iida-kun! What do you think her family came here to talk about? It must've been very important if it couldn't even wait until after school."

"Uraraka-san, I don't think we should pry," Midoriya advised.

"But we're friends, aren't we?!" Ochaco asked, "She should confide in us if something is bothering her."

Tenya pushed his glasses up and he jutted his hands forward. "I will try to talk to her…"

From the other end of the room, Todoroki forced himself to turn away from the conversation. He had noticed as well that ever since they came back from lunch, the girl sitting behind him was more irritable than usual. He had gotten used to her frequent fidgeting, whether it was drumming her fingers on her desk or tapping her feet, but today...it was more incessant. More...urgent...As if there was something bottling up within her that she could barely contain. He never turned to look at what she was doing but from the sounds of it, she was moving in her chair a lot, like she was itching to go someplace but couldn't.

Her sudden change in attitude was alarming as well. He distinctly heard her groan and grumble at the announcement of the sports festival but now it seemed she was in it to win it. If what Uraraka said was true, then did her family cause such a change in demeanor?

He shook his head and pushed his curiosity to the back of his mind. He wasn't here to make friends or to even care about his classmates. He just needed to make it to the top.

What he knew was that the girl had gotten serious about the sports festival and if he learned anything from that first training exercise with her, it was that she was not to be underestimated. Her Quirk wasn't the trait that he had to be most wary of. She was smart and, most importantly, very tricky. This could all be a lie in attempt to intimidate the other first years.

Nishiyama was difficult to read and that put Todoroki on edge. He would need to keep his guard up around her. Yes, he had to be careful of her abilities and not care at all about her private life.

Nishiyama Neon was none of his business.

* * *

"Now that you guys have had a night to think about the sports festival...In the days leading up to it, we'll be dedicating our hero training course to your preparation" Aizawa announced the next day, "However, you will be training on your own while using the school's available facilities. Don't expect me or any of the other Senseis to give you any advice. This time is for your own self reflection of your own strengths and weaknesses."

"Oooh!" the class gasped.

"Nice! There's something I want to try with my suit," Sero said with grin.

"I will tell you this now," Aizawa warned, "That would be a waste of your time as you will not be permitted to use your hero suits at the sports festival."

"WHAT?!" Denki gasped.

"It would be too much of an advantage for the hero course against the rest of the student body," Momo said thoughtfully and Aizawa nodded.

"That is right...and keep in mind, we have taken measures in order to keep the playing field level...So don't take the other classes lightly," Aizawa said, "This will not be a walk in the park. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Good. For today's class, sit and plan out a training program that will best suit your needs...Here's a handout...Just fill that in and pass it to me by the end of class," Aizawa said as he passed stacks of paper to the students sitting in the front row, "And I'll reserve the appropriate training grounds for you guys."

"Yes, sir!"

"Good. Off you go then."

Neon reached over and took the last paper from Todoroki but when she pulled at it, she realized that he was still holding firmly to it.

"Are...you really aiming to win?" he asked slowly.

Neon raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you?"

"Of course," he stated, "And I'd like to know how seriously I should take you as an opponent."

"I could lie, you know? And get your guard down," Neon said with a tilt of the head, "But I won't since I dislike underhanded methods like that…"

"So you are taking it seriously."

Neon nodded. "Very."

Todoroki released the paper and Neon smoothed it down on her desk. She clicked her mechanical pencil and then rattled it in her hand as she thought about what to write. She was far too aware of her own weaknesses and even though she wished she could train and fix everything, she had to focus on just one thing. But which?

 _Quirk strengthening? No...I need to focus on physicality. Should I work on speed? Strength?...I definitely I need to run faster but hand to hand combat is something I also I need to work on...No...I should focus on my Quirk...Right? But...then again, I know that every year the finals are some sort of 1 on 1 type of event._

Out of the corner of her eyes, she could see her classmates getting up sporadically and handing their paper to the teacher. It took a long time for her to decide on what she wanted to focus on and even after she stood up and approached her teacher, she still wasn't sure she made the right decision.

"Close combat?" Aizawa asked when she handed in her training plan. His eyebrow raised and he looked at his student. He didn't sound surprised but her request was definitely making the wheels turn in his head.

Neon nodded. "Yes, Sensei."

"Okay," was all he said as he flipped her paper and turned it bottom side up on top of the stack of paper at the podium.

"Huh?! You trying to fight, Dye Job?!"

Neon grimaced and turned to stare stonily at the Noisy Boy. "It's what I need...Much like how you need a muzzle."

Katsuki smirk turned into a scowl but kept whatever retort he had planned locked firmly in his throat. With a nod of satisfaction, Neon made her way back to her seat.

Midoriya had his head down, staring at his blank worksheet, and was mumbling to himself when Neon passed by his desk. "Close combat? Indeed, Nishiyama hasn't really shown any experience or skill in terms of fighting. Even in the Heroes vs Villains exercise, she didn't-"

"Midoriya," Neon said. She put her palm down on his paper to get him to look up at her.

He jumped in his seat and looked nervously at her. "Y-Yes!"

"Don't worry about what we're doing. Worry about yourself," Neon said.

"Yes! Sorry! I didn't mean to-"

Neon shook her head. "I'm not berating you. I'm advising you as a friend. Don't waste time thinking about others. Do what's best for you."

"Y-yes, thank you," Midoriya said.

"Although…" Neon leaned over so that their heads were a bit closer and she dropped her voice so that no one else could hear, "Might I suggest you work on strengthening yourself in a way so that you don't have to rely on your Quirk…At least until the finals…"

Midoriya had told her his theory that hitting a person made him instinctively hold back his power and it didn't cause his damage but Neon didn't think it was wise for him to rely on that theory. Especially if he was going up against fellow classmates.

"Yah…" Midoriya gulped.

"Ugh...What a waste," Mineta sighed from behind Midoriya, "If Nishiyama unbuttoned just a few more buttons, I'd be able to see down her shirt when she leans down like that."

Neon stood straighter than she ever had before with her arms pinned to her side as Jiro reached over to give Mineta a hard smack to the back of the head.

"Oy! Watch your mouth!" Jiro shouted.

"I-I-I wasn't looking!" Midoriya cried as he leaned away from his seat, banging the back of his head with Mineta's forehead.

 _Clonk!_

"OWWWW!" the boys shouted as they clutched opposites parts of their heads.

"Pffft," Neon sputtered and then covered her hand with her mouth. Her shock and mortification were replaced by amusement. She bit her lips in order to stop herself from laughing, "Thanks, Midoriya. I needed that."

"Huh? What did I do?" Midoriya asked.

Neon shrugged. "You lifted my spirits."

"Oh," Midoriya said and he gave a confused smile, "You're welcome?"

"Good luck on your training," Neon said, "I'll see you at the top."

Midoriya nodded. "Yes!"

* * *

The next few weeks, Neon spent the second half of school in a dojo training ground that the school had near the track and field. She practiced sparring and ducking from UA's combat robots. Some were the same size as the ones in her entrance exams but she stuck with the ones that were closer to her size.

She figured there had to be a few others from her class that had a similar training request but she was surprised to find that the ones she shared the space with were Ojiro, Sero and Hagakure. Apparently, Sero had the same mindset as Neon since his Quirk was more appropriate for long range attacks. Hagakure and Ojiro just wanted to get stronger and faster.

However, they did not do much talking after the first day of training. Each of them were absorbed in their own growth. They gave it their all both inside and outside the classroom. Neon kept working out and studying combat strategies when she was at home.

Despite Akia's protests, Neon ate all her meals in her own room, away from the family. She didn't want to see her father or her brother after the incident in the principal's office and she was sure the feeling was mutual. If their relationship was severed and beyond repair from the truth bomb she dropped on them, she was okay with it. At least, she finally got a chance to say her peace...It was on them to deal with it because all she needed to focus on was the sports festival.

She had no doubt that her classmates were going to be the toughest opponent to beat in the sports festival, especially Todoroki.

He wasn't like Midoriya, where she could read his thoughts just by looking at his face. Nor was he loud and outspoken like Katsuki. Todoroki kept everything to himself, including his emotions. He was a careful person and that meant Neon had to be careful too. After all, it takes one to know one.

Of course, she couldn't forget that there was another class of 21 heroes joining the fray She had to be wary of them especially since she didn't know their Quirks and abilities. Just because Class 1-A had already experienced a villain encounter didn't mean it gave them a great advantage. In Neon's mind, it just meant they had worse luck than the others.

She would never forget Aizawa's broken state. The blood he shed. The dread she felt. The menace of the villains. She would not wish that on anyone and for anyone to see the positive of that encounter were fools.

She felt quite like a fool herself. Every fiber of her being protested in her participation to the sports festival but she had no choice. She was forced into it and worse, it showed that her father still had power over her. That was by far the most unbearable fact in this ordeal.

But what could she do? There was no other choice...Right?


	14. Sounds Like a Sports Festival I

**Ch 14 - Sounds like a Sports Festival I**

"HEYYYYY! Pay attention, audience! Swarm, mass media! This year's high school rodeo of adolescence that you all love, the U.A. sports festival is about to begin! Everybody, are you readyyyyy?!" Present Mic's voice screamed out over the stadium and echoed through the long ramp to where Neon and the rest of the first year waited, "It's time for the first years to make their entrance!"

Neon took a deep breath as a heroic anthem played through the stadium's speakers. The loud roar of the crowd was punctuated by fireworks that sprouted out over the open sky, beckoning the participants to come forward. Even though Class 1-A was the first of the first years to walk out, Neon stayed in the back and was the last one in her class to step out into the sunlight.

"Welcome to the UA sports festival! The huge battle where fledgling heroes sharpen their swords once a year!" Present Mic shouted, "And these are the guys! The miraculous new stars who overcame enemy attacks with their hearts of steel! Hero course, Class 1-A!"

What intended to be praise fell over Neon like a heavy burden and she grimaced.

"Wowww! There are so many people watching us! I feel nervous having so many eyes on me!" Hagakure exclaimed excitedly in front of Neon, clearly not sharing in the same sentiment.

"Man, Present Mic's going overboard with that praise. He's practically putting an even bigger target on our backs. I'm getting a little nervous too," Kirishima said towards the front of the group, "You, Bakugo?"

"Naw. I'm just getting more into it!" Katsuki growled back.

The class crossed the grassy field towards the opposite side of the stadium where a tall stage was placed. They waited for the other classes to get introduced and to enter - Class 1-B, the general studies classes, support course classes, and the business course classes.

A woman on the stage raised her arm and flicked a flogger-styled whip into the air. "Time for the player pledge!" she announced.

"W-What?! That's the R-Rated Hero: Midnight! What is she doing here? Is she a teacher too?" Midoriya gasped.

It took awhile for Neon to register that the woman standing on the stage was not naked. Instead, she wore a flesh colored bodysuit with a black breastlest leather leotard over it. Neon's eyes swept over her fellow first years and found that the majority of the males were blushing with Mineta being the only one staring boldly at the woman with gritted teeth and a thumbs up from both hands.

"Presenting the students is Bakugo Katsuki from Class 1-A!" she announced.

Neon's eyebrow raised. They couldn't have picked a worst representative. She watched as he stuffed his hands in his pockets and shuffled up to the stage. He got to the mic and he opened his mouth.

"I pledge...to become number one."

 _Of course he would,_ Neon thought with a shake of her head. The cheering of the crowd turned into thundering boos. Her fellow classmates looked on in horror while the rest of the first years shot death glares in their direction.

"Why are you doing something so disgraceful?!" Tenya admonished with his hand furiously chopping the air.

"Now then, let's get started right away!" Midnight announced as she took the mic from the mic stand, "The first game is what you'd call a qualifier. Every year, many drink their tears here! Now, here is the fateful first game."

A screen behind her showed a spiraling animation like on a slot machine.

"This year, it's…"

The screen stopped and Neon sucked in a breath.

"An obstacle race!"

 _Crap. I should've trained on speed._

"All 11 classes will participate in this race," Midnight announced, "The course will be the outer circumference of this stadium - about four kilometers!"

Her eyes narrowed behind her red angled glasses and she licked her lips. "Our school's selling point is freedom...So as long as you stay on the course, it doesn't matter what you do! Now, take your places everyone and stand by in front of the red gate! That is the starting line!"

The red gate looked just like the entrance they had come from. It was a narrow concrete hallway so Neon knew she had to act fast even though the race hadn't even started yet. She had to get to a good spot otherwise she would be in the same situation as that time they all got stuck during the emergency evacuation.

 _Okay...How do I do this? Midnight just said this is a qualifier...As long as I'm in the top 20, I should be safe...There's no way they would be cutting any more than half this group...But how do I even do that? How do I-?_ Neon thought to herself and then something caught her eye, _Bingo!_

She made her way over and stopped near the direct center of the group.

 _Bing!_

One of the three lights above the gate turned green. Neon leaned forward and bent her legs.

 _Bing!_

Two out of three lights were now green. Neon stretched out her hands.

 _Bing!_

Now it was all three lights.

"START!"

Quickly, Neon leapt forward and grabbed onto Tenya's back just as he powered up his legs.

"N-Nishiyama-san?!" Tenya gasped as he ran but was blocked by the clustering first years.

"Just keep going, Iida-kun! And jump when I tell you to!" Neon shouted as she encased both of them in a bubble.

"What?"

"Just trust me!" Neon said as she looked over her shoulder for the inevitable.

 _Crriiiiick!_

Ice started to cover and spread through the hallway walls and when it was just about to reach Tenya's heels, Neon shouted into his ear. "JUMP!"

He jumped just as the floor beneath their feet was covered in ice. The other students around them were not so lucky and were stuck. Todoroki charged right past the first years, easily pushing them away but he did a double take when he ran past Neon and Tenya.

"Go, Iida-kun! I'll be offense and defense. Just focus on running!," Neon said.

Tenya gulped but that was the only moment he took before obliging. As much as he would like to let Neon know his intention of relying on himself for this part, he understood that time could not be wasted and at the same time, having Neon's critical mind at hand would help more than harm. He couldn't charge at full speed as he didn't want to injure any of the first years but he still managed to get out just a few feet ahead of Todoroki.

"Like I'd let you guys get away that easily!" Katsuki shouted above them as he blasted through the air. Behind him, Neon could see Momo, Kirishima, and even Aoyama finding their own way towards the front.

 _Not bad, Class 1-A,_ Neon thought with a smirk.

"Nishiyama-san! In front of us!" Tenya shouted.

Neon looked ahead just as a row of large Zero Point robots lined up in front of them and cast a dark shadow over the first years.

"Keep running straight!," Neon said as she raised her arms and a sound bubble the size of a car flew over to her from somewhere beyond the stadium. She threw it forward and it hit the middle Zero Point right at the base of the neck.

 _Wub wub wub wub wub wub!_

The bass not only short circuited the Zero Point but also caused a shockwave that sent the first years behind her tumbling back, furthering distancing themselves from the lead.

"Go!" Neon yelled as Tenya darted right between the robot's shaking legs just as the other two flanking the Zero Point became encased in a wall of ice.

"Nishiyama and Iida from Class 1-A! Taking the lead after showing no signs of hesitation even in the face of peril! Amazing!" Present Mic shouted, "And with Todoroki also from Class 1-A hot on their heels even with his icy attack! How cool!"

"Nishiyama-san...Not that I don't appreciate your help but I would really like to accomplish this on my own," Tenya said as they raced on.

"Do you want to win or do you want to protect your pride?" Neon asked and she felt Tenya tense up at her question, "Besides, it's nothing to be ashamed about. Your strength is speed and mine is thinking on my feet. Together we can-"

Tenya jerked to a stop and Neon almost flew over his head.

"What the-?" Neon started to demand but then she gulped when she saw why he had stopped.

"And the first students have reached the second barrier. It's 'The Fall'!"

A canyon laid before them with escarpments and cliffs of various sizes and distances scattered from their path to the next obstacle. Between each cliff was a tightrope.

"I can get through on my own but if I carry you, Nishiyama-san…I can't guarantee I can keep my balance," Tenya admitted just as Todoroki caught up to them.

He turned to look at them with a longer stare at Neon before skated along the tightrope in a stream of ice.

"Damn it! That smug bastard," Neon seethed and then she ran her hands through her hair, "I need to think...Just go without me, Iida-kun!"

"What?!" Iida gasped.

"You got me further than I expected anyways," Neon said as she pushed him forward, "And I'm not going to drag you down with me. If you have a way to get across then get across. I'll figure something out."

"Nishiyama-san, I-"

"GO! Do you want to win or not?! Look! I know how important this is to you and your family is watching. So go! I will not blame you for this. Go!" Neon shouted and Tenya straightened up.

"Nishiyama-san," Tenya said as he jutted out his hand, "I...I never said it during our childhood and I've regretted it since then but...I...I have always considered you a dear friend. Thank you."

"Likewise," Neon snapped, "Now go! Win this damn thing!"

Tenya nodded as he lined his feet on the tightrope and propelled himself forward with his engines and his arms sticking out for balance.

Neon paced back and forth. She stretched her arms over her head and swung them around as she thought frantically about what to do. She could not have any more people get past her.

 _God damn it! Think, Neon! Ugh! Why did you focus on close combat?! You should've worked on your Quirk more! But then again, what good would that do? Even if you brought a whole cluster of bubbles here, it's not like you could float on them. They break at everything they touch._

Neon froze and her eyes widened. A thought hit her like a bolt of lightning and she gasped at nothing in particular.

 _Except...each other!_

"Oh my god. This could work! This could work!" Neon shouted.

"Ah! It looks like Nishiyama is suffering from some mental breakdown for losing such a significant lead!" Present MIc shouted.

"Oh, shut up," Neon muttered, returning to her sense.

She pointed a finger below her mouth as she let out a loud scream.

"KYAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The bubble ballooned out of her finger and grew and grew until it encased her whole body. It was much different than her sound barrier. The whole bubble was tinted pink.

She lifted her hands and then moved her hands towards herself, pulling all the beanbag-sized sound bubbles she had prepared before the sports event to her. She waved her hands around and directed them to form a line across the canyon in front of her.

 _Okay...here goes nothing._

She jumped into the air and landed on the first bubble. She flinched, waiting for it to pop and cause a chain reaction. Her eye slowly opened when she realized she was bouncing safely on top of the bubble while floating inside her own.

 _I can do this!,_ she thought excitedly as she jumped from bubble to bubble.

"Looks like Nishiyama has created her own path!"

"Yes!" Neon cheered as she got clear across. She broke her bubble and released her scream into the world.

"KYAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"Eh? What was that?" Present Mic asked, "But never mind as Todoroki, who has taken the lead, has reached the final barrier! The reality here is that it's a minefield! It's set up so that you can tell where the mines are if you look carefully! So you have to exploit your eyes and legs! AH! Now Iida has arrived as well...AND WHAT'S THIS? A THIRD?! Bakugo has arrived and those three are neck in neck, fighting for the top! Rejoice, Mass Media! This is the heated competition you've all been waiting for!"

Neon gritted her teeth and sprinted forward. When she got to the land mine, she could see explosions ahead both from the landmine and from the Noisy Boy.

 _Is he attacking the other two?!_ , Neon thought with exasperation.

She sucked in a breath and let out another scream to bubble herself. Again, she moved her bubbles so they formed a line above the minefield and she jumped across. Just as she left the second bubble, she could hear the sounds of running feet behind her.

 _Have to hurry,_ Neon thought with gritted teeth as she jumped as fast as she could from bubble to bubble. However, just as she got to the middle, what she dreaded came true.

 _Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!_

 _Buzz! Beep! Squeak! Plop! Roar! Screech! Thud!_

" _Kyaaaaaaaaaaah!"_

 _Boom!_

Someone had touched her first bubble and it led to a chain reaction of various sound effects. With her footing gone, Neon crashed right onto a mine and was sent flying through the air. Thankfully, even though she landed on her back, it wasn't on top of a new mine. Still, the impact hurt.

"Ow…" she groaned as she got to her feet. With the finish line in sight, Neon knew she couldn't waste anymore time thinking. She had to do it the old fashioned way. She looked down at her feet and ran as fast and as carefully as she could around the mines. There was no chance of her getting the lead any more but that was okay. She just needed to place high enough to qualify. Still, it wasn't like she was taking it easy. There were at least 15 other students close at her heels and she had no idea what the exact cut off would be to advance to the next round.

 _Kaboom!_

"Eh?" Neon turned just as an epic pink blast exploded at the start of the minefield and suddenly, Midoriya came soaring through the skies clutching the armored plate of a Zero Point robot.

"Class A's Midoriya is in hot pursuit with that blast!" Present Mic shouted, "Actually, he's taken the lead! WHAT A DEVELOPMENT!"

Neon couldn't help but smile. _Smart move, Midoriya..._

"The three formerly at the lead who had been fighting each other are now chasing Midoriya!" Present Mic shouted, "Now that they've had a common enemy, their fight is over!"

"Nor is mine," Neon said as she gritted her teeth and steeled her nerves, "Go beyond...PLUS ULTRA!"

 _Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!_

She backflipped and somersaulted as quick as she could. The mines blew up behind her as she made her way across the field. She couldn't afford to be careful now that Midoriya has shown that anything could happen. She just had to be quick. Real quick. For all she knew, fifty more students will try to do what he did and come shooting out of the skies.

She stopped only when she saw the patch of ice that Todoroki had left behind. _Just like the first day of school._

She moved her bubbles behind her and streaked across the ice with her soundwaves giving her a boost.

 _Wub! Wub! Wub! Wub!_

"Midoriya swiftly blocks those behind him! Would you believe it? He cleared the minefield in an instant!" Present Mic shouted from above, "Eraser Head, your class is amazing! What're you teaching them?!"

"I didn't do anything…" came the calm voice of her teacher, "They're fired up on their own."

Neon could barely make out the silhouettes of the boys ahead of her by the time she cleared the minefields and she only stepped foot onto the long concrete hallway when Midoriya was announced as the winner of the race. When she ran through the gate and back to the stadium, the boys were already cooling down and trying to catch their breath.

"They're finishing one after another!" Present Mic shouted, "We'll make a list of the results later, but for now, good work!"

Neon planted her hands against her legs and she sucked in a breath.

"WHAT?! Even _you_ got this far?!"

"Thanks. Congrats to you too, Noisy Boy," Neon sighed. She straightened up and ignored his glare, "Oy! Midoriya!"

MIdoriya turned to her and she gave him a thumbs up. "Good job. I'm really impressed."

Midoriya scratched his head and a faint blush came to his cheeks.

Neon walked over to Tenya, who was stretching his legs and she clapped him on the back. "Congrats on making it to the Top-"

"Nishiyama-san…"

HIs solemn tone made Neon draw back her hand. He righted himself up and he bowed. "I am grateful for your assistance at the first stage of the obstacle course but I will need to draw the line there. Going forward at this elite sports festival, I would like to request that we do not work together anymore."

Neon blinked. "What?"

Tenya bowed even lower and he stared at his own calves. "With my Quirk, I should've been in the Top 3 at least and yet I fell behind Midoriya-kun, Todoroki, and Bakugo...That's why...I need to rely on myself or else I'll never grow."

"Are you blaming me for not coming in first?" Neon asked quietly, "Because I couldn't make it past the Fall as quickly?"

Tenya snapped right back up and he shook his head. "No! That is not it at all! You misunderstand me! It is quite the opposite. I realize that if it hadn't been for you, my placement in this race would've been much lower! If I am to become a great hero, I will need to learn how to push through obstacles on my own volition as you have done at the Fall and all the other training exercises we've experience."

Neon folded her arms over chest and she sighed. "So you're doing this for your own personal growth?"

"Yes."

She smiled. "Then just say that. I didn't need to hear such a long winded explanation."

"You're not offended or angered by my selfish request?"

Neon scoffed. "It's all good...Friend."

Tenya's lips quivered as they mashed together and he looked up to the sky. "I-I shall forever cherish this moment, Nishiyama-san! No! NEON-SAN!"

"You could lose the san," Neon said with another scoff."

Tenya shook his head fervently. "No! Out of respect to you and our friendship, you will forever be 'san' to me!"

"Okay. Okay," Neon sighed as she sat down on the ground and then looked up past the crowd and towards the sky. She waited for her breath to steady and her heart rate to normalize, "I wonder what the next event will be…If the first one was testing our speed...Then the next one must be strength...Right? Or do you think it's hand and eye coordination?"

"I don't know what has caused this change of heart but I am glad that you are fully immersing yourself in this experience, Neon-san," Tenya said with a bright smile, "Surely, you must be feeling the passion and fervor that we are all sharing right now."

"Not exactly," Neon said slowly, "To be honest, the reason why I'm doing this is…"

Her voice trailed off and she forced a smile. Why burden him with this when it's not his problem?

"Yes, Neon-san?"

"Never mind...Just forget it, Iida-kun," she said as she laid down on the grass and tried to relax for as long as she could. Things were only going to get more intense so she might as well savor her down time.


	15. Sounds Like a Sports Festival II

**Ch 15 - Sounds Like a Sports Festival II**

"TEN MILLION POINTS!"

Neon's jaw dropped and she whipped her head towards Midoriya. Everyone was looking at him like he was a goose that could lay a golden egg.

Never mind that Neon, herself, was worth 190 points for coming in 5th. The point value for first place blew everyone out of the water. The cavalry battle set as the next event was going to turn into a slaughterhouse with Midoriya as the prime meat.

"During the game, it'll be a cruel fight where you can use your Quirks," Midnight continued to explain, "But it is still a cavalry battle. You'll get a red card for attacks that are trying to make people fall on purpose. You'll be removed immediately!...Now, you have fifteen minutes to build your teams. Start!"

Immediately, Neon could see something round and purple pushing his way through the crowd towards her. "Hey! Nishiyama! Yaoyorozu! Uraraka! Be on my-"

"No!" came the unanimous reply from all three girls to Minetta from different parts of the field.

Neon watched as the crowds divided into teams with people naturally gravitating towards their own classmates. She raised an eyebrow when she saw the splitting of her own class but she made no attempt to move towards any of them. She stood there, quietly observing.

"Oy. Dye Job! You joining my team or what?!"

Neon glanced to her right where Bakugo stood with Kirishima and a crowd of her other classmates. "Excuse me?"

"I know your Quirk can be used as protection sometimes and you're clever on the field," Bakugo barked.

Neon folded her arms. _Noisy Boy giveth…_

"So it'll be stupid as shit for you not to team up with someone as powerful as me!"

 _And Noisy Boy taketh away._

He wasn't wrong and Neon was a little flattered that she was even on his radar to begin with since the ones that riled him up the most seemed to be those who he sees as competition.

They stared at each other until Bakugo's impatience got the best of him.

"Well?!"

Neon took a deep breath and then walked over towards her classmates but then at the last second she clapped her hands on the lone person, who everyone seemed to be avoiding. "I think I'll work with Midoriya."

"WHAT?!" Bakugo and Midoriya both yelled out.

Neon shrugged. "Like Noisy Boy implied-"

"STOP FUCKING CALLING ME THAT!"

"I'm better at defense than offense," Neon said, "And...going after other people for the sake of a game just doesn't sound right to me. It's not my style."

"Deku-kun! I want to join your team too!" Ochaco shouted with a bright smile as she ran up to them.

"URARAKA-SAN! NISHIYAMA-SAN!" Midoriya blubbered as tears sprouted out of his eyes like a fire hydrant leak, "I-Is it really okay?"

Ochaco nodded. "If we run away the whole time, you'll win, right?"

"I-I think you're overestimating me, Uraraka-san…" Midoriya whispered.

"Like I would!" she scoffed and then she smiled right to her eyes, "Anyways, it's better to team up with people you get along with!"

Midoriya's eyes clamped shut while Neon couldn't help but let out a small smile. The girl's Quirk might be able to make people float but her personality could also make people feel light and breezy. She was a good egg.

"Y-You're so bright, Uraraka-san," Midoriya shouted as both his eyes and lips squeezed closed like his whole face was rubbed in lemon juice.

"Wow...Now that's a face only a mother could love," Neon said with a raised eyebrow.

"Actually, I wanted to team up with both of you too," Midoriya admitted, "For teams, it's best to be with people you can communicate with smoothly, right?"

Ochaco and Neon nodded.

"Actually, with your Quirks and one other person, I thought of a plan," Midoriya started to say and Neon put her hand up.

"If you're thinking it's Iida-kun, give it up," Neon said and nodded over at their class rep, "He's joining up with Todoroki."

"What?!" Midoriya and Ochaco gasped as they ran towards their friend. Neon walked slowly behind them.

"I'm afraid I have to refuse," Tenya was saying when Neon caught up to them, "Ever since the entrance exam, I just keep losing to you, Midoriya-kun...You're a wonderful friend but that's why, if I just keep following you, I will never grow. Bakugo and Todoroki aren't the only ones who see you as a rival. I will challenge you too!"

"Iida-kun…" Midoriya said as he watched Tenya walk back to his team. The green haired boy gulped. The severity of the situation was settling in.

"As I thought, this is great...You stand out!" came a gleeful whisper behind them.

They turned just in time as a girl with pink hair and goggles over her eyes came racing towards them with all types of contraptions strapped to her body.

"Team up with me, person in first place!" she screamed as she stopped right when she was nose to nose with Midoriya.

"AHHHH! SO CLOSE! Who're you?!" Midoriya exclaimed.

"I am Hatsume Mei, from the support course!" the girl said as she took off her goggles and placed it on top of her head.

"Hatsume...Mei…" Neon repeated, commuting her face and name to memory.

"I don't know you but let me use your position," Mei declared.

"Wow! So honest," Midoriya gasped.

"If I team up with you, I'll inevitably become part of the team everyone's watching most, right?" she asked eagerly, "If that happens, then my super cute babies will inevitably be seen by the big companies."

"Wait a minute-" Ochaco said but was immediately cut off by the energetic Mei.

"That means, in other words that-"

She finished her sentence with Neon's barrier bubble over her head and her eyes widened while Neon leaned in.

"You talk too much," Neon said, "And I dislike opportunistic people like you. Midoriya is not a walking billboard. However, a little business advice...if you want to advertise your stuff, it would be more effective if you used your 'babies' on a lesser team. Underdog stories always makes a bigger and more positive impression. Don't hard sell right off the bat. It's a turnoff for any type of marketing."

 _Snap!_

The bubble went away and Mei's hand went to her chin. "Indeed!" she exclaimed, "If I can show the big companies what I could do for a smaller hero, then they could only imagine what I could do for a greater hero! Thank you, honest person! Are you perhaps part of the business course?"

Neon made a face. "No."

"Well, thank you, any ways! I'll go find another team!" Mei shouted as she ran off.

"W-Wait!" Midoriya cried but the girl was gone, "Nishiyama...We needed a fourth person."

"You said so yourself...You need to work with people you can communicate with," Neon said, "Ochaco couldn't even get in a word when Mei started yapping. Plus…like I said before, I dislike opportunistic people like her. It's a personality clash. Look for someone else."

MIdoriya sighed and then he scanned the crowd. His head moved back and forth several times when someone caught his eye and he marched right towards them.

"Tokoyami?" Neon said when she saw who Midoriya brought back and then she smiled, "Now _him,_ I could work with."

"Just hear me out," Midoriya was saying to Tokoyami, "You will solely have to focus on defense. You don't have to attack. So…"

Tokoyami put his hands on his hips. "Interesting...My Quirk's offensive ability increases the darker it is but it becomes fierce and difficult to control. On the other hand, under sunlight, it becomes possible to control, but it's offense becomes below average. To tell me that I didn't have to attack with my Quirk without knowing that...It's a very unique choice under the circumstances…"

"Eh?" Midoriya whispered as a smile formed on Tokoyami beak.

"Very well...Try using me," Tokoyami said.

"Alright! Now you've made your teams, right?! Please get into formation!" Present Mic shouted.

Neon and Ochaco hoisted Midoriya up on their shoulders while Tokoyami got into place as their team's "horse". They were handed their headbands and Midoriya blanched when he saw the number printed in big red letters - 10,000,505.

"That's a lot of zeroes," Neon said as Midoriya tied it around his head, which only made him sweat a bit more.

"Ready?! The countdown to the brutal battle royale begins now! 3...2...1!" Present Mic yelled as the crowd roared in delight.

"Perfect," Neon said as she lifted one hand and captured the crowds cheers into several sound bubbles. Other teams started to rush towards them.

"Ah ha! Midoriya-kun, watch your back!" Hagakure laughed as she charged on top of Jiro, Koda, and Sato.

"An attack without delay, huh," Tokoyami said as Neon's bubbles flew in to form a ring around them, "The fate of the pursued. Make your move, Midoriya!"

"Of course, our move is to run away!" Midoriya shouted.

"I won't let you!" a Class 1-B boy with silver hair shouted as they rushed forward.

A dark shadow from beneath their front team member's foot began to stretch and when it hit the ground beneath Team Midoriya's team, it turned into mud and they began to sink.

"What is this?!" Ochaco shouted.

"That's his Quirk?" Midoriya asked as Neon grouped her bubbles at their feet,

"Brace yourselves!" she shouted.

"Do it!" Midoriya cried.

 _RAAAAAAAAAAAH! WOOOOO! GOOOOO!_

The bubbles burst and the sounds of the crowd erupted through the mud, freeing their feet and propelling them upwards, thanks to their lightened density from Ochaco's Quirk.

"They flew?!" the Class 1B team shouted as the rest of Neon's bubbles trailed up after her.

"Uraraka's Quirk paired with Nishiyama's…," Todoroki mumbled as he watched Neon angle their trajectory and keep them afloat by popping precisely placed sound bubbles.

"Jiro-chan!"

"I'm on it!"

Jiro's earphone jacks stretched up into the sky but they were knocked out of the way by Tokoyami's Dark Shadow.

"Good job! Dark shadow, keep watch over our blind spots," Tokoyami shouted.

"Got it!" his shadowy monster replied back.

"Wow, that's so cool! The defense that we were lacking...You're more than making up for it with your omnidirectional mid-range defense!" Midoriya said, "That's amazing, Tokoyami!"

"You're the one that chose me," Tokoyami pointed out.

"We're landing," Ochaco warned as Neon popped her last bubble to soften their land and then started to concentrate on collecting more bubbles from the crowd.

"Wahhhh! Look at Nishiyama-san! She's adding audience participation to this event! Let's show her our enthusiasm, you guys! LET ME HEAR YOU SAY 'YAHHHHH!'" Present Mic screamed.

"YAHHHHHH!"

"Oy! Sensei! That has to count for some kind of bias, right?!" a student protested as Team Midoriya ran past.

"Now then, even though barely two minutes have passed since we've started! It's already turned into a free-for-all!" Present Mic cheered, getting too hyped to care, "Fights over the headbands are breaking out all over! Ignoring the ten million points and going for second to fourth places isn't bad, either!"

"Fourth place. That's the cut off?' Neon asked.

"Waaahaahahaha! Free for all? More like a one-sided pillage!"

"DANGER!" Neon gasped as they looked behind their shoulders to see Shoji rocketing towards them with all types of gizmos attached to his limbs. His arms were up and clamped over his head, shielding his back.

"Shoji-kun?! Why is he wearing those things?!" MIdoriya gasped.

"That was Mineta's voice and those contraptions are from MEI!" Neon yelled as the team from Class 1B came running at them from the opposite side.

"We need to get out of here! Get us up, Nishiyama!" Tokoyami yelled as Neon moved the bubbles down to the ground again.

"Wait! No! Don't pop anything!" Ochaco screamed, "My foot...My foot's stuck!"

"What?!" Neon cried as Midoriya looked down.

"It's Mineta's balls!" Midoriya cried, "He stuck one there!"

 _Flick!_

Midoriya ducked, missing Tsu's long tongue by a hair as it flew past and made a swipe at the boy with silver hair before withdrawing.

"Tsuyu-chan's in there too?!" Ocachao gasped as three pairs of eyes gleamed from the shadows under Shoji's protective arms.

"Crap!" Neon said, "Lose the shoe, Ochaco!"

"I'm trying!"

"They're closing in!" Midoriya shouted.

"Okay! Tokoyami! You get the silver haired guy! I'll take care of Shoji!" Neon said as she snapped her fingers, putting a barrier bubble over Midoriya, Dark Shadow, and Ochaco's head. She then pointed at her throat.

"GETTTTTT THEEE HELLL AWAYYYYY," she bellowed at Shoji causing him to instinctively cover his ears, changing the trajectory of Mei's rockets and he veered away from them.

"Noooo! Shoji!" Mineta yelled.

"H-How do I stop this thing?!" Shoji shouted back.

"Dark Shadow!" Tokoyami shouted as the shadowy monster soared towards Class 1B and swiped at their heads. They carefully ducked and slid to the side, temporarily halting their charge at Team Midoriya.

"It's off!" Ochaco shouted, shaking her sneaker free.

 _Pop!_

" _YAAAAHHHHHHHH!"_

Team Midoriya flew again through the air but this time, they had to share the skies.

"Kacchan!" Midoriya gasped as the boy exploded into the air, leaving his other three teammates on the ground.

"Don't get carried away!" Katsuki yelled as he drew back his arm, "Damn it!"

"Tokoyami-kun!" Midoriya shouted.

Dark Shadow flew up and intercepted Katsuki's hand, which let out a fiery blast right in Dark Shadow's chest.

"Tch," Katsuki grunted as he was pulled back safely to his team by Sero's tape.

"Wow! What an amazing display of abilities by Class 1-A!" Present Mic screamed, "As expected, everyone's after the first place team! Now that it's been seven minutes, here are the current rankings up on the screen! Wait...Other than Midoriya...The other teams of Class A aren't doing so well. Eh?! Bakugo...ZERO POINTS?"

"What?!" Midoriya gasped.

"Don't lose focus," Neon snapped as she popped her bubbles to keep them in the air, "Noisy Boy might not be the only person with aerial attacking abilities…"

She grimaced as a familiar ringing returned to her ears. "Besides...someone just took Noisy Boy's points away from him...You think he's just going to take that lying down?"

"KIRISHIMA! CHANGE OF PLANSSS!" Katsuki yelled from the ground, "BEFORE WE GET DEKU, WE'RE GOING TO KILL THIS GUY!"

Neon chuckled. "See?"

"We're landing!" Ochaco called out as they began to descend.

"Sorry, guys…" Neon said, "This might be the last time we can go into the air."

"You're at your limit, aren't you?" Midoriya asked.

"Ah...And I need to conserve some of it for the next event," Neon admitted, "Sorry…"

"No! We managed to survive the first half, mostly because of you," Tokoyami said as Ochaco nodded in agreement.

"Leave it to us! We can take it from here, Neon!" Ochaco said as their feet touched the ground.

"Not so fast!" Tenya shouted as he pulled up in front of him with Todoroki at the top.

"I thought we would not have a confrontation until later in this contest," Tokoyami admitted, "He seems to think highly of you, Midoriya."

"Only half the time is left. Don't stop moving!" Midoriya shouted.

"Iida! Forward!" Todoroki ordered.

"Right!" Iida shouted as he powered up his legs.

"Watch out," Neon said as she looked around them and spotted other teams closing in on them, "It's not just Todoroki's team we should be worried about."

"No. Nishiyama! Look ahead!" Tokoyami shouted.

In front of them, Todoroki covered himself, Momo, and Tenya with a heavy grey blanket while a metal bar jutted out from Momo's elbow and stamped into the ground.

"Indiscriminate Shock! 1.3 Million Volts!" Denki cried as electricity charged out of him in every direction.

Dark Shadow intercepted once more and took the hit for Team Midoriya but the other teams were exposed. They were shocked and fried simultaneously but just when the electricity descended, Todoroki grabbed the bar from Momo and sent his ice through the stadium, freezing his opponents in place once more.

"Sorry, but you'll just have to bear it," he called out as his team raced towards Team Midoriya, "And...I'll be taking these!"

He raised his hand several headbands dangled from his fingers.

"WHAT?!" the students shouted.

"We have to run," Ochaco cried as Team Todoroki drew closer, "But they're too fast. We can't get away!'

 _Snap!_

"Nishiyama-san!" Midoriya gasped as a sound barrier popped over his head and only his while Neon flinched at the growing sound in her ears.

"Just a minor precaution," Neon said with a weak smile.

"I'll take care of them," Tokoyami cried as he sent Dark Shadow out towards Team Todoroki.

"Yaoyorozu!" Todoroki shouted as the creating girl sprouted a shield out of her arm to block Dark Shadow's blackened talons.

Team Midoriya quickly withdrew. "Yaoyorozu Creation is too hard to deal with," Midoriya whispered.

"Iida-kun's speed is the most worrisome to me," Neon countered.

"No...Kaminari is worse," Tokoyami said, "We're lucky we're not standing under direct sunlight or else Dark Shadow would've been ripped apart on the first attack…"

"STOP!" Neon shouted suddenly as she dug her feet in. They were now right on the lines of the field and if they took another step back, they would be out of bounds. They couldn't move to the sides as there were thick ice patches flanking them. Todoroki had forced them in this position. It was either stay put or fight.

"Ah! Team Midoriya has nowhere left to go!" Present Mic shouted.

"Decreased offense...They don't know about that, right?" MIdoriya asked as Team Todoroki started to make their way towards them.

"I don't believe so," Tokoyami said, "The only person I've told about this weakness is Koda when we were back at USJ and he is a man of few words."

"That's even putting it mildly. I've never heard Koda speak," Neon said, "He's the best kind of man there is."

"I-Is this a love confession?" Ochaco exclaimed.

"No," Neon snorted. "But to get back on track...If they don't know about your weakness, then we can still use Dark Shadow to our advantage. Todoroki always has his guard up so he won't be the type to move suddenly."

"Ah…" Midoriya said, "Let's just hope we can keep him away for the next six minutes."

"Dark Shadow, go!" Tokoyami shouted as Dark Shadow stretched out his talons in a blocking position. Immediately, Todoroki pulled back his team and he eyed the creature with extreme caution.

"It worked," Ochaco gasped.

"Move towards a wall of ice…" Neon murmured, "If they are to push us back, I'd rather we hit ice than get eliminated."

"The one on our right," Midoriya said softly with his eyes glued on his opponents, "If we can, try to move towards our right at all times."

"Why?" Ochaco asked.

Despite her nerves, Neon smiled at how observant Midoriya was. "...Because Todoroki only blasts ice from his left hand?"

"Ah," Midoriya said, "If he tries to freeze us, he'd hit Iida-kun"

"Smart," Neon said as they shifted their way towards a more secure area with the wall of ice at their back and Dark Shadow at their front.

"Hold!" Midoriya shouted as they played the defense game.

With every step Team Todoroki took, Team Midoriya matched as if they were unafraid. It was a tense dance between the two teams and the longer it lasted, the more nervous Neon got.

"One minute left!" Present Mic shouted.

Neon's palms were starting to sweat as she hung on to Midoriya's foot. _Come on...Just 60 seconds left...59...58…_

"Hold!" Midoriya shouted as Team Todoroki took another step towards them and Neon shifted more to the right.

 _55...54...53...52..._

Suddenly, Tenya knelt down and Neon's eyes widened. _That stance...I've seen Ingenium do that before…_

"Shit!" Neon yelled, "Midoriya, cover your head!"

"What?" Midoriya gasped but it was too late.

"TORQUE OVER...RECIPROBURST!" Tenya shouted as burst right past them and served to the side with a blink of an eye. Todoroki's hand shot out and grabbed Midoriya's bubble as they passed, using the force of Tenya's torque to break Neon's sound barrier.

 _45?...44?...43? Shit...How much time is let?_

"Eh?! What happened?" Present Mic shouted, "So fast! So fast! Iida! If you could accelerate that fast, then you should've showed us in the prelims!"

"Since...since when could you do Reciproburst?" Neon yelled at Iida.

"Sorry...This is a secret move I hadn't told anyone in class yet..." he admitted, "Especially you, Nishiyama-san…"

"Why me?" Neon asked and then she gasped.

 _Because I know the side effects!_

"MOVE NOW! Dark Shadow strike now while Iida-kun can't move!"

"What?" her team exclaimed.

"His engines recoil after such a powerful burst. He'll be down for a minute. GO!" Neon shouted.

"Go!" Midoriya exclaimed.

"As long as they have Kaminari, we'll be at a disad-" Tokoyami started to warn.

"There's no time!" Neon yelled as she locked eyes at Ochaco and they ran forward, forcing Tokoyami to move as well.

"We'll definitely get it back!" Ochaco shouted.

"Ah! Uraraka-san...Nishiyama-san," Midoriya gasped.

"We don't know how the other teams are doing," Neon said, "So getting back our headband is the only way to secure a place in the next event. Midoriya! Get it back! Use your Quirk!"

"WHAT? What if I hurt-" Midoriya gasped.

"YOU'LL BE FINE IF YOUR THEORY IS RIGHT! AND I THINK IT IS," Neon shouted, "JUST GET THE HEADBAND BACK!"

"Get it back, Deku!" Ochaco shouted as they charged ahead.

With the demands of his teammates, a newfound resolve spread throughout Midoriya and he drew back his right fist. He reached over towards Todoroki, who raised his left arm that suddenly was engulfed in flames.

 _So that's what that hand can do!_

Midoriya batted Todoroki's hand away, the force extinguishing the flames and creating an opening to the headbands around Todoroki's neck. He grabbed the top headband and yanked it away as his team carried him a safe distance away.

"I-I..I GOT IT!" Midoriya shouted as he raised the headband in the air.

"With just 11 seconds left, a desperate plan has succeeded in a retrieval and redemption!" Present Mic shouted.

Neon blinked at Todoroki's neck. "Oy...Did you take the one from the top or the bottom?"

"Top!"

"That's the wrong one…"

"WHAT?!" Midoriya looked down at his hand and saw the number 70 printed humbly in the center.

"DEKU!" Katsuki yelled as he blasted over the ice wall with his team running after him on the ground.

"Ignore him and get back the headband!" Neon cried as she ran forward, forcing her other team into action, "Tokoyami!"

"Ah!" he shouted as Dark Shadow stretched towards Team Todoroki once more.

"Kaminari!" Todoroki ordered and sent an electric blast through the air.

"Time's up! That's the end of the second round. The cavalry battle!"

 _Thud!_

Katsuki landed flat on his face while Neon numbly set Midoriya back on the ground.

"It's over…" she whispered as she sank to her knees, "It's...over…"

WIth 70 points, they weren't even in the top 10. There was no way they could move on to the next round. She had failed...She would have to withdraw.

Everything that she worked for. Everything that she had learned...It was all for nothing.

Even though she was devastated, a part of her was surprised that the faces of her classmates flashed before her eyes as she struggled with her loss. She could play it off cool as much as she wanted on the inside but there was no denying it to herself anymore. She liked her class. She liked her teachers. She finally found a place where she was accepted...Where she belonged.

But now she had to give it all up.

"Neon-san," Tenya said as he walked towards her with his hand outstretched, "That was a quite an energetic battle-"

"GOD DAMN IT!" Neon shouted as she punched the ground over and over again until her knuckles began to bleed, "FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK!"

Tenya froze. It was quite alarming for Neon to even want to participate in a competition like this but to be hit that hard with a loss...Something was not right. She was not acting like herself at all.

"Eh? Neon?!" Ochaco gasped as she raced to her friend, "Are you okay?"

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," Midoriya said with his head lowered and his fists clenched to his side, "This is all my fault. We couldn't even make it into the top four...I'm sorry…"

"Eh?" Ochaco said, "But we _are_ in the top four."

"What?" Neon and Midoriya's head shot up.

Ochaco smiled and pointed at Tokoyami, who was walking towards them with a white cloth draped over Dark Shadow's mouth.

"Todoroki was clearly shaken by your first attack...I had hoped to get the ten million points but...things don't always go as you wish," Tokoyami said as Dark Shadow went over so they could see the three digit number printed on the headband, "Still...I managed to get one while his guard was down. MIdoriya, this was thanks to the opening you created with your last spurt."

"In fourth place, Team Midoriya with 675 points!" Present Mic announced over the mic.

Neon clamped a hand over her mouth. She had been so caught up with what Midoriya was doing and where she should be running to that she didn't notice. Warm tears of relief poured down her eyes and over her hand. Next to her Midoriya was crying too but it was more surprising for her classmates to see _her_ spout out any emotion. Tenya, more than anyone.

Neon put another hand over her mouth to stifle her sobs but she couldn't hold it back no matter how hard she tried.

She doubled over and knocked her head to the ground.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"


	16. Sounds Like a Sports Festival III

**A/N: I'm sorry for being late on posting and updating my other stories. I lost someone very beloved to me earlier this month from heart failure, which pretty much broke my own heart metaphorically. I had to take some time for myself. I will say, coming back to read all these reviews and words of encouragement has helped me get back to normalcy and I'll update as soon as I can.**

 **Now...back to Neon.**

* * *

 **Ch 16 - Sounds Like a Sports Festival III**

"I demand to know what is going on. As your friend, I demand an explanation!"

Neon and Tenya stood facing each other under the tunnel of the faculty and student entrance during the lunch break. As soon as Midnight had dismissed them temporarily, Tenya had went straight to Neon and pulled her aside to have a chat.

"Trust me. You're better off not knowing," Neon sighed, "Just focus on the sports festival. I know how much this means to you."

"My feelings are beside the point right now," he insisted, "There is something troubling you and I know it pertains to your family! What happened at Principal Nezu's office?!"

"What good would it do if I told you?" Neon asked quietly, "Misery might love company but I really don't."

"If there is a way for me to help-," Tenya started to say and Neon put up a hand.

"Stop. This is not your problem," Neon said.

 _Bzzt. Bzzt._

" _Nee-chan?! Nee-chan?! Nee-chan?!"_

 _Bzzt. Bzzt._

" _Nee-chan?! Nee-chan?! Nee-chan?!"_

"Sorry," Neon said as she pulled out her phone and showed Tenya that the incoming call was from Akia, "I need to take this."

"I...I understand," Tenya said defeatedly as Neon walked away.

"Hey, it's me," Neon said as she put the phone to her ear.

"CONGRATULATIONS, NEE-CHAN!" Akia shrieked, "I watched the whole thing on TV! You were amazing! The last minute of that battle was so good! I couldn't breathe!"

"Thanks, Akia," Neon said with a small smile, "But I didn't do anything. It was all my teammates."

"Nee-chan. You have amazing friends!"

Neon chuckled. "Yes...Yes, I do."

"Can I meet them someday?"

Her throat tightened in her throat and Neon gulped. Her sister was blissfully unaware of what was a stake. "...Maybe. We'll see."

"Ehhhh? No fair! You can't keep them to yourselves. You're being selfish, Nee-chan!"

Neon choked out a laugh. "We live too far, Akia. I don't think they'd want to travel all the way to our house."

"What about if we go to them?!"

"You can't leave the house, Akia...You know that."

"Not _yet!_ " the child countered, "But your friends are super strong! I'll be safe with you guys! We can go anywhere we want!"

A tear fell down Neon's cheek. "Yeah...That would be nice, right?"

"To the movies."

"Uh-huh…"

"To the zoo."

"Yeah…"

"EVEN TO THE AMUSEMENT PARK! OH! Nee-chan! Can we go to the amusement park?"

Neon closed her eyes and knelt to the ground. "Yeah...When Nee-chan is strong enough, I'll take you out into the world. Okay?"

"Promise?"

Neon nodded. "Promise."

"Yay! A hero's promise is unbreakable! You know that right, Nee-chan?"

"I'm not a hero yet, Akia."

"You are to me!"

Now the tears were flowing non-stop as Neon hung her head. "Thanks, Akia…" Neon sniffled, "Nee-chan is going to try her hardest for you, okay? Just watch me."

"I will!"

"And cheer me on."

"Eh? You can hear me through the TV?"

"What?" Neon said as she forced herself to grin, "Are you underestimating your own hero?"

"Ah! No, of course not!" Akia cried, "Nee-chan is the greatest sound hero in the world! Super Nee-chan!"

"I can't use that name," Neon laughed, "Super Nee-chan sounds like I'd be the world's best babysitter. Think of another one."

"Okay! I'll think of something and when you come back, I'll tell it to you and you'll be super SUPER amazed by my creativity!" Akia shouted.

"Okay," Neon said, "Go, Akia!"

"Go, Nee-chan!"

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a faint trace of white hair out hiding behind the frame of the entryway. Neon immediately stood back up. "Uh...Akia...Nee-chan has to go and eat lunch. You should too. It's lunch time and you can't miss your meals."

"Okay! I'll eat at the same time as you and then it'll be like we're eating together!"

"Okay. I'll talk to you later, Akia," Neon said.

"Bye, Nee-chan!"

"Bye…"

She hung up her phone, stuffed it into her pants, and drew in her breath to calm herself. Then she walked over to the entryway, where a Todoroki stood solemnly with a guilt stricken Midoriya at his side.

"How much did you guys hear?' Neon asked point blank.

"Not a lot..." Todoroki said, "And I wasn't here to intentionally listen. I wanted to have a chat with Midoriya. How was I supposed to know you would be here too?"

"Nishiyama...You...You really love your sister, huh?" Midoriya asked, "When you said you wanted to be a hero for power...You meant...power to protect her?"

Neon nodded and then she sighed. She already knew Midoriya's secret and since the cat was poking his head out of the proverbial bag, she might as well let him in on her's...However, Todoroki was another story. "Ah...I'll tell you everything another time, Midoriya. You boys have a nice chat. Want me to save you a spot at the cafeteria if I can?"

"Yes. Thank you," Midoriya said as Todoroki put out an arm to stop her.

"What I have to say, you can hear too."

"Hard pass," Neon said, "Not interested."

"I insist."

Neon sighed and turned into the entryway. She leaned up against the wall and folded her arms across her chest. "Fine. Make it quick. I don't want to miss out on the tempura set meal."

Todoroki stared coldly back at her as he also came into the corridor and Midoriya took a stand next to her.

"Midoriya overpowered me...So much so that I broke my pledge," Todoroki said as he lifted up his left hand, "Iida...Kaminari..Yaoyorozu...Tokoyami...Uraraka...None of them felt it. I was the only one who was overpowered. Only me, who had experienced All Might's full power up close…"

"Meaning?" Neon asked. _Crap. Does he know?_

"It means I felt something similar coming from Midoriya," Todoroki said, "Midoriya...are you All Might's secret love child or something?"

"Eh?" Neon asked as Midoriya's eyes widened to the size of frisbees.

"You can't deny there is a relationship between you two. All Might has always paid special attention to you, MIdoriya," Todoroki said, "And...I know you know the nature of their relationship, Nishiyama-san. Right before Midoriya attacked, you said something that indicated you were familiar with it's specifications...And...the day after USJ, you and Midoriya seemed to have a closer relationship. I remember you spent some time in the Recovery Girl's office with All Might and Midoriya. Perhaps you were let in on this information."

"Th-That's not it!" Midoriya exclaimed, "I am not his love child! Even though even if I said I wasn't, I don't think you'd believe me..."

"Why does it even matter to you?" Neon shot back.

"Endeavor's my old man," Todoroki admitted, "I'm sure you are both aware that he's been stuck as the number two hero for forever. Midoriya, if you have something from the number one hero, then I..." Todoroki looked down at his left hand, "Then I have even more reason to beat you."

"Doing what Daddy can't?" Neon asked.

Todoroki glowered and his left hand clenched into a fist. "It is not that simple. All Might is a great eyesore to him. Since my old man couldn't surpass All Might, he moved onto his next plan...You've heard of Quirk marriages, right?"

Neon nodded while Midoriya did the opposite.

"It started around the second and third generation after superpowers appeared," Todoroki explained, "Choosing a spouse based only on strengthening your own Quirk and passing it onto your children, forcing people into marriage. The old-fashioned way of thinking brought about by a lack of ethics. My old man was a man of power and wealth. He won over my mother's relatives and got a hold of my mother's Quirk. He is trying to fulfill his own desire by raising me to be a hero to surpass All Might..."

"What?" Midoriya gasped.

"It's so annoying," Todoroki said, "I won't become the tool of scum like that…In my memories, my mother is always crying…'Your left side is unsightly'...That was what she said when she poured boiling water on me."

Now it was Neon's turn to gasp.

"Midoriya...I picked a fight with you to show my old man what I can do...without using his damn Quirk…" Todoroki said, "I'll reject him completely by winning first place without using it!"

Neon and Midoriya stared at him in thoughtful silence as Todoroki walked off. "I don't care if you can't tell me how you're connected to All Might. No matter what you are to All Might, I will rise above you with just my right side. You too, Nishiyama."

"Me?" Neon blinked.

"Your Quirk might not be much but you have a natural instinct and adaptability that cannot be ignored or underestimated. If I can't even beat either of you, then I cannot truly prove that I am at the top. That's all I came here to say...Sorry for wasting both your time."

Neon sighed. "This is why I hate competition. The frustrations of getting up there and the feeling of loss...No good comes out of it. However, due to my own personal issues, today...losing is not an option for me...so...I guess I accept your challenge, Todoroki."

"Listen!" Midoriya called out, "I...I am here because of the people who have supported me...Saving people with the smile...The great hero, All Might...I...I want to be just like him. In order to do that, I have to be strong enough to become number one! My motivation might seem trivial compared to yours or even Nishiyama-san's...but I can't lose, either. I have to live up to the hopes of those who supported me. That declaration of war earlier...I'll return that. I will beat you too!..And...and you too, Nishiyama-san."

Neon nodded solemnly. "Okay."

She leaned her head back against the wall and she wondered if she should tell the others that she could hear someone on the other side of the entrance. _That Noisy Boy sure is a loud mouth breather,_ she thought but decided to remain silent. For him not to say anything meant he understood the gravity of the situation. He was silently issuing and accepting their challenge as well.

 _Yeah,_ Neon thought as she stuffed her hands in her pocket, _This is the top…_

* * *

Lunch time came and went with Neon barely getting in time to eat, let alone her desired tempura meal. She had to settle for a simple onigiri and that put her in a bad mood. She didn't understand why she had to go out into the field with the rest of her class if the next part of the sports festival was geared towards those who didn't make it into the finals. It was all just a bunch of recreational games set up so that the students had another chance to shine for the scouts.

"Look! We've even brought real cheerleaders from America to liven things up!" Present Mic announced over the speakers.

Neon turned and raised an eyebrow at the fellow girls in her class, as they were wearing identical outfits as the Americans. "...Why are _you_ guys wearing the same thing?"

"Mineta...and Kaminari tricked us," Momo said stonily as her poms poms waved pitifully in her limp wrist.

Neon bit her lip. Maybe there was a silver lining to her being late to lunch.

Momo fell to her knees. "Why am I always caught up in Mineta's schemes? I even used Creation to make the outfits."

"Those guys are so dumb!" Jiro shouted as she threw her pom poms to the ground and covered her exposed middrift with her arms.

"Alright! When that's over, the sixteen from the four teams that made it to the final round will duke it out tournament style, one-on-one," Present Mic shouted.

Neon knew this was coming, as every year they had a one-on-one competition but she still felt a sense of dread of having to use her Quirk against someone that she considered a friend.

"Let me draw out the names and once the bracket is determined, we'll have the recreational games and then start!" Midnight shouted, "The sixteen finalists can decide whether or not they want to participate in the recreational games but I'm sure some of you want to rest or save your strength. Now then, let me draw-"

"Excuse me…" Ojiro said as he raised his hand, "I...I would like to withdraw from the tournament."

"What?! Ojiro, why?!" Neon gasped.

"This is a rare chance for pros to see you!" Iida stated.

"To be honest...I barely remember anything from the cavalry battle until almost to the end…" Ojiro admitted, "I think...it was that guy's Quirk. I know that this is a great chance but...everyone here competed by giving it their all. I can't...I can't be up there with everyone without knowing what really happened."

 _That guy?_

Neon turned to look at where Ojiro was eyeing and she blinked at the boy with the purple hair. _The guy from the general studies course…_

"Uh...I'm Shoda Nirengek from Class B...I would also like to withdraw for the same reason," a plump boy said as he came up to the front, "Regardless of abilities..don't you think it goes against the goal of this sports festival for those who didn't do anything to move onto the final round?"

"What's with those guys?" Kirishiima sobbed, "So manly!"

"Youthful talk like that is something…," Midnight said lowly and then raised her whip, "I LIKE! Shoda! Ojiro! I accept your withdrawal!"

They ended up moving three people to take the place of Shoda, Ojiro, and Aoyama, who suffered from a stomachache to severe too compete. It ended up being two people from Class B and Mei. The two class B students were nominated by their own class for doing the most during the cavalry battle and Mei was nominated almost unanimously by her class for the same. Soon, the bracket results were revealed.

"Shit…" Neon said, "Of all people…"

"Neon-san! Please do not hold back on me now that we've re-established our friendship," Tenya said as he stuck out his hand to her.

She slapped it but more as a casual low five than a gesture of hostility. "Ah…" she said, "Same…"

Neon's disdain for competition reached a new level and she could feel her blood boil. _If he knocked me out...and I had to withdraw because of it...It's going to hit him really hard. Shit...I've got to really give it my all...But...he also really deserves a win. Shit...I'm sorry, Iida-kun...It's as you requested...I can't hold back._

The first years dispersed with those in the tournament going their own separate ways while the others prepared for the recreational games. Some went to go rest while Momo and Ochaco decided to stay and cheer on their friends for some stress relief. Neon, on the other hand, went back to the waiting room for Class 1A to gather her thoughts.

She was surprised to find Ojiro and Midoriya already there.

"Sorry," she said, "I'll leave you guys alone."

"No, it's okay!" Ojiro said as he got up to his feet, "Please. You should prepare for your tournament."

"Nishiyama-san...You're going up against Iida-kun, right?" Midoriya asked, "Will you be okay?"

"I don't know," Neon admitted, "I hate using my Quirk against a friend..In fact...I don't think I've ever done so...Under different circumstances, I would've withdrawn but..."

"Circumstances?" MIdoriya asked.

 _Bzzt. Bzzt._

" _It's me…It's me...It's me…"_

Neon groaned and took out her phone. "Sorry, I need to take this. Here you guys stay and keep talking. I'll find some place quiet," she said at the long, drawn out ringtone of her brother's voice. She put the phone to her ear and walked out of the room, "What?!"

Her hostile bark made Midoriya jump in his seat and that was the last thing she saw of him before the door closed.

"I just wanted to check in to see how you are doing," stated her brother, "Are you mentally ready to go up against Young Iida? He is your closest friend, yes?"

"What are you, my stalker?" Neon snapped as she walked down the empty hallway, "I'll be fine. Rest assured, I'll make that Top 3 just like I said I would."

There was a deep sigh. "Neon, I am only voicing my concern to-"

"Whatever," Neon said, "You signed those forms and enrolled me just so you can see the look on my face when Father found out, didn't you? You pretended that you didn't care where I went to school but that was all a lie, wasn't it? You must've been so happy when Father came back and tried to pull me out of school. Your rebellious sister finally being taken down a peg or two."

"Neon," he said, "Do not make me out to be the villain. I have not done anything-"

"Exactly! You've done nothing!" Neon hissed, "So it's pointless for this conversation to keep going. Just watch me win and keep your trap shut!"

She hung up the phone, pressed it against her chin, and closed her eyes. She took a deep breath to try to calm her nerves but it didn't help. When she opened her eyes back up, she grimaced. It was the last person she wanted to see.

"So that's why you're suddenly so fired up…" Noisy Boy growled, "You're getting kicked out if you don't make the Top 3."

"No one is kicking me out of anything," Neon muttered. She stuffed her hands in her pockets and walked right past him, "...But don't tell anyone, especially Iida-kun."

"Why the fuck would I want to talk to him?" Katsuki shot back.

Neon stopped in her tracks and a small smile appeared on her lips. "...Thanks, Bakugo," she said with their backs turned to each other. Then she continued to walk until she found a quiet, empty stairwell for her to sit and collect her thoughts.


	17. Sounds Like a Sports Festival IV

**Ch 17 - Sounds Like a Sports Festival III**

Neon sat quietly in Tournament Participant Room A. She was up next and even though she should be watching the matches, she just couldn't bring herself to do so. She had played through different scenarios between her and Tenya and everything led to the same conclusion...No matter what either of them chose to do, the victory came down to one component: speed.

Well, one physical component at least. There was also the one detail that plagued Neon while she tried her hardest to strategize. Could she actually go through with it? Did she actually have it in her to beat her friend? She had to for the sake of her sister! She couldn't afford to lose...Right?

The door opened and Todoroki walked through, both of them taken aback by each other's presence.

"Is your match over already?" Neon asked as she jumped to her feet, "Shoot. I need to get down there."

"Take your time," Todoroki said, "The field needs to dry.

"To dry?" Neon repeated and she raised an eyebrow, "How much of your ice did you use?"

Todoroki's expression did not change but Neon could see a vein tick along his neck. "I lost my temper."

His answer confused Neon even more. "With Sero? That's hard to believe. He's a pretty good natured guy."

"No…" Todoroki broke off eye contact and he stared out the window, "It wasn't him. It was my dad."

The steeliness that came over his expression and the tension that shrouded his presence spoke volumes to Neon more than his words. To experience that much emotional strain from just one person, a family member, was something she was acutely aware of.

"Ah...I understand," she said quietly.

Todoroki turned back to look at her and he stared at her with intensity. "How?"

"How what?"

Todoroki's eyes narrowed. "You wouldn't say you understood if you didn't...Or at least you think you do...So how? How could you possibly understand?"

Neon shrugged. "You're not the only one with an unwanted father."

That was all she was going to say to that matter but she grew increasingly uncomfortable the longer he continued to look at her in silence. It was clear he wanted for her to explain more but that was the last thing she wanted to do.

"I'm going to head out to the field even if they are still setting things up. Don't want to keep Iida-kun waiting or else I'll never hear the end of it," Neon mumbled as she started to move towards the door but when she was just about to walk past Todoroki, he grabbed her wrist to keep her from moving any further. All the while, he faced forward, without looking at her.

"Explain."

Neon yanked her hand out of his grip and glared at the side of his face. "I do not owe you any explanation. Stay out of my-"

"Please…"

Neon's mouth snapped closed while Todoroki continued to speak very softly but solemnly.

"I wish to know how you dealt with it…You...who seem to answer to know one...and who does everything on your own terms...Who seems free of any unwanted ties...How did you handle your circumstances?"

"You want to know how I deal with my father?"

Todoroki nodded.

"I...just don't...give...a...fuck," she said slowly.

That elicited a response from the guy and his head swiveled towards her once more. "What?"

Neon smiled grimly. "Just don't give a fuck about him," she said, "The opposite of love isn't hate. It's indifference. So if you truly, _truly_ want to make it a point to your father...Don't give a fuck about him and just do you...Because as long as you still hold any sort of emotion towards him, it means he still has power over you….And isn't your whole purpose to reject him in every way?"

"Be indifferent…" he said.

"Take your hate...and let it go," Neon said, "Just be who you want to be."

"Be...who I want to be…"

"Once your father is not a factor in your decisions, then he's not a factor period. It's just that simple."

"If you truly are indifferent, then why did you have such an emotional response when you thought you had lost?" he asked, "It's clear this sports festival ties into your family in some way. Yes?"

"I didn't say I've severed my ties completely," Neon said, avoiding to answer his last question directly, "It's a work in progress...But it's a hell a lot better than me stewing in hate and wasting my life living it in a certain way because of a certain person...Especially a person I dislike in almost every way. Don't you think?"

Todoroki stood silent for a breath and then he walked forward, breaking their wayward stand off and took a seat at the table. Neon gave a small nod of satisfaction and then left the room. Even though it was her advice to Todoroki, he actually put some things into perspective for her too and it shed some light on her current situation.

She talked the talk...Now she had to walk the walk.

* * *

"Here we go! After the long wait, we are ready to continue the tournament!" Present Mic announced, "For this match, it's the mentally unstable student from the hero course, Nishiyama Neon."

"Excuse me?" Neon sputtered as she walked out of the entrance.

"Versus!" Present Mic continued to shout, "The epitome of speed, Iida Tenya, also from the hero course!"

Both opponents walked towards the center of the field and they stopped on the marked location.

"Two opponents who had worked seamlessly together at the start of the day, now having to battle against each other! This match is a twist of fate! Nishiyama versus Iida!"

The crowd cheered and stamped their feet.

"Hey...Iida-kun…" Neon said, her words only reachable to him, "Before we start, can I talk to you for a sec-"

"Ready? Let the third match…START!" Present Mic shouted.

"WHAT?!" Neon roared and glared up into the announcing room. "I wasn't-"

""Neon-san!" Tenya roared as he powered up his legs and bolted towards Neon.

Neon quickly double snapped her fingers on both hands, not just creating one sound barrier but several over the top of one another like a bubble nesting doll.

"Ah! Iida has taken advantage of Nishiyama's hesitancy. He is wasting no time!" Present Mic cried.

"Ahhhhh!" Tenya shouted as he burst through the barriers at high speed. Even though the barriers didn't stop him, it did slow him down enough for Neon to time his approach. Just as Tenya reached for her shoulders, Neon pivoted on her feet and let him charge right by her in a straight line towards the boundary.

"PUMP THE BRAKES!" Neon cried.

Tenya pulled back immediately and he skidded to a stop a breath away from the line.

"AHHHHH! What is happening?!" Present Mic screeched, "Nishiyama has done a perfect dodge and almost knocked Iida out but NIshiyama seemed to have actually warned her opponent just in time?"

Tenya turned slowly and his eyes widened when he saw Neon with her finger pointed to her throat and her eyes staring determinately not at him...but at Midnight.

"I...QUIT!"

"WHAAAT?!" the crowd yelled.

"What is the meaning of this?! Nishiyama managed to get the upper hand but she's throwing it all away?!" Present Mic shouted.

"BOOOO! BOOO!" the crowd jeered, "SHAME! SHAME! SHAME! SHAME!"

"SHUT UP!" Neon shouted as she glared into the crowds, "SHAME ON ME? HOW ABOUT SHAME ON YOU?! ALL OF YOU!"

The crowd's booing started to lessen and they looked at each other in confusion.

"ISN'T A HERO SUPPOSED TO BE MAKING THE WORLD SAFER? SO WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU PRO HEROES DOING WATCHING A SPORTS GAME?! THERE'S SOMEONE OUT THERE WHO NEEDS YOUR HELP AND YOU'RE SITTING HERE EATING POPCORN?! WHY THE HELL DO WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS NONSENSE FOR YOUR ENTERTAINMENT?! DO YOU REALIZE YOU ARE PITTING FRIENDS AGAINST FRIENDS?! YOU ARE CHEERING ON VIOLENCE IN THE NAME OF SPORTSMANSHIP...SO SCREW ALL OF YOU!"

Neon took a deep breath. Her own voice was getting drowned out by the deafening roar in her ears but she had more to say.

"I DO NOT HAVE TO PLAY BY YOUR RULES. I DO NOT NEED YOUR PERMISSION OR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO BE A HERO AND I CERTAINLY DON'T NEED ANYONE'S APPROVAL TO BE ONE! SO SCREW YOU. I DON'T GIVE A FUCK!"

She lifted her finger and she stormed out. Tenya called out after her but she couldn't hear it. Even if she could, she would've done the same anyways. She heard her phone ring and when she looked down, it was her brother.

 _Beep!_

"Hey. I know I didn't hold up my end of the deal but I don't care if you withdraw me. Fuck it. I'll become a hero my own way. I don't need this school. I'll train somewhere else. I'll find my own damn way and I'll do it on my own and on my own terms and there's nothing you can say now anyways because I can't hear a damn thing!" Neon said without taking any breaths and then she hung up the phone.

 _Thud._

She turned around when she felt a hand on her shoulder and gasped when she saw Tenya. He had ran after her and heard every word. He was gesturing wildly and shouting at her but it was all charades to her.

"Stop. I can't hear you," Neon felt rather than heard herself say. He snapped his mouth shut and then did something that left Neon speechless.

He hugged her. Tightly.

Then after a while, he pulled back and he slowly mouthed the words so that she could understand.

 _I am here for you._

Neon pushed him away as a lump grew larger and larger in her throat. "Idiot, I'll be fine. I'm going to Recovery Girl's office to do something about my ear."

As she turned the corner, she let her tears spill. She was grateful for Tenya's friendship. Happy to have ended the day on her terms and exhausted for the weeks of stress and anxiety she had held on to...But most of all, she was terrified. She had no clue what her next step was and surely her father will be furious. Being disowned crossed her mind a few times and she wouldn't mind it if not for the fact that meant she would never see Akia again...But she had done what she did because getting kicked out of UA would not change her decision. She was going to become a hero. No matter what.

She dried her eyes and stepped into Recovery Girl's office. She braced herself for that wet, sloppy kiss.

 _SMOOOOCH!_

"There. Can you hear me now?"

Neon turned around and she nodded at the old woman. "Thanks."

"I will warn you, Nishiyama-chan...You should not rely on me healing you all the time. You must either work on being more efficient with your Quirk or exceeding it's limits," Recovery Girl said as she reached into her hand and pulled out a wrapped candy bar, "Now...Have some chocolate. It'll help put you in a better mood."

"Thanks," Neon said again as she unwrapped the candy bar and bit off the top corner.

The door swung open and a brightly smiling All Might in his brawny glory came through the door.

"Oh stop, All Might Sensei," Neon scoffed as she chewed on a chocolate, caramel, and peanut concoction, "Don't waste your minutes on me."

 _Poof!_

All Might shed his hero form and he trudged over to sit on the edge of the cot near Neon.

"Young Nishiyama…," he said, "I understand your frustrations-"

"No...No, you don't," Neon countered.

All Might put a hand on her shoulder and he dropped his smile. "I do...There are many rules and customs set forth in the hero world that seem like a hassle but they are put in place to preserve the peace and harmony of society. It might-"

"Bullshit," Neon shot back, "You aren't trying to preserve the peace. You guys are pretending there's peace! We literally have enough pro heroes to fill up at least a quarter of this stadium right now and yet there will be someone out there today who will suffer from a crime!"

"That...that is true...The reality is that heroes sometimes cannot save everyone all the time and I include myself in that statement," All Might said, "But to create discord will only result in chaos. What you have voiced today might have some truth to it and I know your intentions are good...But...are you aware of Vigilantes?"

"Vigilantes…" Neon whispered, "Those are the ones who are unlicensed heroes, right?"

"They are citizens who have taken justice into their own hands and use their Quirks illegally and without authorization," All Might said, "Even though they think what they are doing is helping...they are technically criminals."

"Are you saying that you're worried that if I don't make it here in the hero course, I'm going to be a Vigilante?" Neon asked.

"I'm worried that you will do something without the proper training and experience and you will get yourself killed one day," All Might said, "The reason why the hero system treats Vigilantes as criminals isn't because we think they are evil. No...It's for their protection. There are way more Vigilante deaths than pro heroes because they rushed in thinking they can take care of it themselves...And I don't want that to happen to you."

Neon gulped and she hung her head. "I see your point...And I'm not trying to be a Vigilante. Even if I can't continue here in UA anymore...I'll figure out a way to become a hero properly. I can promise you that."

"Good. Now, I don't know why you think your career here has come to an end but if there's anything I can help you with, Young Nishiyama, you can tell me or even your classmates. Why?," All Might said, "Because if there's anything you should know about heroes, it's that working with others is always better than working alone."

"Could you...adopt me then?" Neon joked and All MIght spat out blood.

"E-Excuse me?!"

"Just kidding," Neon said, "It's just...If I want to become a hero...I'm going to need to get away from my family…but...I just don't know how to do that."

There was a knock on the door.

"Excuse me. This is Nishiyama Koushi. I'm here to check on my sister?" came a voice through the door that made Neon jump to her feet and All MIght hurriedly puff back into hero mode.

"Come on in," Recovery Girl said with a smile.

The door slid open and Neon scowled. Koushi came walking through with a navy blazer draped over the hand that was holding a shiny, leather briefcase.

"I should've known you were sitting in the audience," she said, "Couldn't wait to sign those withdrawal papers, could you?"

"Actually…" Koushi said as he wiped the sweat off his face with the towel.

"Why are you sweating?" Neon asked, "I didn't even know you could sweat. I thought you ran on batteries or tears of out-negotiated businessmen."

"I have been running around the city all day,...All week actually," Koushi said as he dug into his briefcase and then handed Neon a stack of paper, "To get this sorted."

"What…? What is this?" Neon asked.

"It's the paperwork for your emancipation."

"My what?!"

"Great Hero, All Might...Is there a place where my sister and I can talk privately?" Koushi asked and All Might got up to his feet.

"Yes! I shall escort you two to the teacher's lounge, Young Nishiyama and Younger Nishiyama," All Might said.

"I'd very much appreciate that," Koushi said as he cracked a small smile.

"Ew. What are you doing?" Neon asked, "Sweating _AND_ smiling? What the hell? Are you malfunctioning?"

"We shall talk when we're alone," Koushi said.

"Fine," Neon sighed.

She followed All Might to the teacher's lounge, which was completely vacant since all the teachers were outside helping out with the festival in some way. Neon plopped down on the green couch while Koushi sat himself in an armchair across from her.

"I'll...leave you to it then," All Might said, "Please take as long as you need, Young Nishiyamas."

"Thank you, All Might-san," Koushi said.

As the door closed behind him, Neon folded her arms over her chest. "Okay. Explain this emancipation punishment to me. Am I disowned then?"

 _Bam!_

Suddenly, Koushi put both hands on the coffee table and lowered his head. "I'm sorry!" he yelled and Neon froze.

"I'm sorry I couldn't protect you when you were little. I'm sorry I wasn't there when Mom died. I'm sorry I failed you as an older brother," he cried as tears fell backwards onto the table and into his hair, "I was so stupid...I thought if I just emulated Father, everything will turn out okay. I did not realize in doing so I alienated you...By the time I came to my senses...It was too late. I had lost you. The distance had become too great and there was no way for me to reach you again…"

"Wait...What...What are you saying? You're Koushi…" Neon whispered, "The robot...Father 2.0...The Clone of Commerce…"

Even through his tears and in his prostrated state, Koushi let out a snort. "Y...You always had a spirit in you that Father and I never had...You are just like Mom…Maybe that's why Father likes to keep his distance from you..."

"Because I reminded him of the woman he married accidentally?" Neon asked.

"No, because you remind him of the woman he loved," Koushi said as he straightened himself up and wiped the tears from his eyes with a handkerchief from his briefcase, "They got married out of love. Our stepmother...That is just a marriage of companionship and convenience."

"Why are you telling me all this?" Neon demanded, "Get to the point!"

"I'm telling you this because you have the right to know everything before you finalize this document," Koushi said as he slid over the stack of papers again.

"What am I signing?" Neon asked.

"Your legal emancipation from the family," Koushi said, "Once you sign it, from this day forward, you will no longer be part of our family and will be free to do what you please."

"You say that," Neon said, "But doesn't that mean I get thrown into some sort of foster home and have to listen to a new set of rules from a new set of bullshit parents? And I'll still have to leave UA!"

Koushi shook his head. "It's taken me a week to get everything sorted because I had to prove that you were capable of sustaining a healthy lifestyle and show common sense and reasoning equal to that of an adult. I have statements from the household staff and your teachers that you show excellent judgement. And I have shown them the trust fund that I had created for you since the day I graduated from college is enough to provide for you until you are no longer a minor."

Neon looked at him exasperatedly. "Speak plainly!"

"If you sign this, you can live on your own and do as you please. You will be assigned a government official, who will check in on you from time to time but otherwise...you're on your own...and will still be enrolled at UA," Koushi said.

"What...what about Akia?" Neon asked.

"I will look after her. I have reorganized my role at the company and I will only take local meetings. I can stay at the house permanently from now on...," Koushi said, "And whenever Father and Mother are out of the country, you can come see her as often as you like..."

"REALLY?" Neon gasped

"But only one one condition…"

Neon groaned. "I KNEW IT! There's always a catch. What is it?."

Koushi smiled. "When you do become a pro hero, you will still visit her often and keep her safe when you take her out into the world."

Neon blinked.

"Akia needs a hero...and she needs her older sister," Koushi said. "I...I may have lost my chance of being a good older brother to you...but I won't miss it with Akia. You are her... _our..._ only hope for any piece of a happy family."

"...I…"

Neon had the words in her throat but none of it could come out. She stared at the man opposite her as if with new eyes. It was, after all, the first time in a long time, she was seeing him...Really seeing him.

Koushi smiled sheepishly as he held out a pen to her. "I would like to repair our relationship, Neon, if possible."

"This…" Neon croaked and then reached over to take his peace offering, "...Is a fucking GREAT start."

She leaned down to the paper and her pen hovered just above it when she spotted her name. "Wait...Why does my name say Nagano Neon?"

Koushi struggled to a standing position and he smiled. "I thought you'd want to take Mom's maiden name."

Neon blinked. "You legally changed my name?"

Koushi shrugged in a fashion that reminded her of herself. "I told you, I've been busy this week. Is that okay?"

"More than okay," Neon said as she signed the papers and then practically stabbed the pen back on the desk, "THERE! DONE!"

"Welcome to your new life, Nagano Neon," Koushi said as he held out a phone to her, "You're on your own."

"What's wrong with my old one?" Neon asked.

"Private number…" Koushi said, "It has Akia and my number in there...That's all. No Father. No Mother."

Neon grinned and took the phone. Then she put her hand into his now empty one and shook it. "Thanks, Aniki. Happy to have done business with you."


	18. Sounds Like There's Still a Fight I

**Ch 18 - Sounds Like There's Still a Fight I**

"So…" Neon muttered as she sank into the last seat in the back row of the section reserved for her class. She folded her arms over her chest and lowered her head, "What did I miss?"

"NISHIYAMA!" Mina cried in the row in front of her and Neon winced as all heads turned to her, including people from Class 1B that peered over the shared wall, "We were so worried about you! Is everything okay?"

"Too loud, Mina," Neon grumbled, "And please...call me Neon. There's no need to call me Nishiyama anymore. Really."

Tenya got up from his seat but then Neon shook her head when she caught his questioning look. _Not now._

"I-I'm glad you're in better spirits, Neon-san," Tenya said as he sat back down.

"Ribbit. To be honest, Nishi-..Neon-chan," Tsu said in the seat next to her, "You said some things that I was feeling too...It made me sad to watch our friends fight each other, even if it is just for fun."

Neon coughed and she fidgeted in her seat. "So who's fighting who now?"

"Midoriya and Todoroki," Jirou said in the second row.

"What? It's the quarter finals already?" Neon gasped, "I missed so much! Who won the other fights?!"

"I won, _obviously_ ," Katsuki said from the third row with his eyes fixated on the field below.

Neon's eyes trailed to Ochaco, who was sitting in the front row, smiling sheepishly back at her with a bandage on her cheek. "Ochaco put a good fight, didn't she? Otherwise, you wouldn't feel the need to be so vocal about your victory, huh? "

"Shuddup, Dye Job," Katsuki growled.

 _Ha! I struck a nerve._

"And what are you still doing here?" he asked back.

"I'm a student...Why wouldn't I be here? Can't get rid of me that easily," Neon said with a grin and gave Ochaco a thumbs up, which made the brunette blush.

That made Katsuki turn to look at her and when he saw her cheerful attitude he turned back in his seat.

"I won against that Mei girl," Mina said with a giggle, "But I don't know if that counts as a win...I just helped model all her inventions and then she stepped off the field."

"Some of them looked pretty dangerous though," Sero said with a frown, "There were times I thought you'd fly off into space or get smashed into the ground."

Neon's eyes widened. "What kind of things did she make?!"

"A lot," Mina laughed, "She's a funny girl. I like her."

"What about Denki?" Neon asked and Jirou let out a loud snort.

"Total...annihilation," Jirou snickered as Denki shot her a death glare.

Momo turned in her seat and she gave a soft smile. "I...I will admit, I got defeated as well."

Neon shrugged. "Tokoyami is a formidable opponent."

Flames came blooming out from the corners of the field below, announcing the start of the next battle.

"Thanks for waiting, everybody! The first match of the second round is a big match! The man who won a huge victory in the first round and literally left the audience frozen...From the hero course, it's Todoroki Shoto!" Present Mic shouted.

The crowd erupted into cheers. It was clear that Todoroki was the crowd favorite in the match.

"On the other and, this guy barely made it past the first round! What kind of fight will he show us this time? Also from the hero course, it's Izuku MIdoriya! At this year's sports festival, both have shown top class performances. It's like two great rivals fighting against each other! Midoriya versus Todoroki!"

Neon flinched with every attack that exuded from Todoroki. It wasn't that his ice was in any way overly brutal. It was that Midoriya would counter by firing a shot right back to nullify Todoroki's Quirk. Even though Neon was seated far away and unable to see the details, she just knew with each shot, some part of Midoriya was getting destroyed.

 _Hurry up and find an opening, Midoriya, or else you're going to lose your limbs!_

"Did I miss it? Did I miss it?" Kirishima shouted as he appeared in their section. Then his eyes brightened when he saw Neon, "Yooooo. Nishiyama, that was pretty manly of you...Talking back to the audience like that. You made them all shut up for a full second."

"I wouldn't know," Neon grumbled, feeling her face get heated, "I couldn't hear anything...and..just call me Neon from now on. Okay?"

"Yeah, sure!" Kirishima said, "Hey! Bakugo, it's going to be me and you next!"

"I'll kill you," Katsuki stated which earned him another laugh from Kirishima.

A blast of cold wind was sent right through the stands followed by a scream of pain from Midoriya. Neon covered her face with her arms to block the cold and the ice crystals. When the wind died down, she lowered her arms and saw that Todoroki was at the center of the field with a wall of ice behind him, to stop him from getting any further, while Midoriya had his fist on the ground. His arm from elbow to fist was a sickening purple.

"With that amount of force...Todoroki is still in bounds?!" Mina gasped as she leaned forward in her chair.

Todoroki got to his feet and stomped on the ground. Another ice attack went charging at Midoriya only to be blasted away again, forcing Todoroki back even more and right to the edge.

"H-How is Midoriya still standing? He looks like he's in so much pain!" Sero gasped.

"They're both at their limits…" Neon said.

"Even Todoroki?!" Mina asked.

"All Quirks are physical abilities. There are limits," Neon said, "Just like with my ears...There has to be a limit for Todoroki...And to shoot off that big of an attack that many times?...He must be…"

Suddenly, Todoroki did the unexpected and he ran towards Midoriya, closing the gap between them voluntarily. Neon blinked and from his seat, Katsuki sat up taller. Both noticing that Todoroki's movements were slower than before. With his body wide open, Midoriya landed a clear punch in Todoroki's stomach and as Todoroki flew back, he touched Midoriya's arm and covered it in ice.

"Why isn't anyone stopping this match?" Neon said as she got to her feet and ran to the first row, "If this continues Midoriya is going to break every bone in his body!"

Attack after attack. Smashing one ice block to another. The back and forth between Midoriya and Todoroki was incessant and Neon didn't know how much she could take. She had initially been hoping Midoriya would win but at this point she was just really frustrated with Todoroki for not using his left side. If he did so, the fight would've been over a long time ago. Why must they draw this out?!

 _Just let it go...Todoroki...Just...let it go._

She watched as Midoriya shouted something to Todoroki but with all the crowd cheering and her Quirk at its weakest, there was no way she could make out what he said.

 _Fwooom!_

Suddenly, a huge flame burst where Todoroki stood.

"He used it…" Tenya whispered as they felt the heat all the way in their seats.

Flames raged from Todoroki's left side and a confident grin emerged from his face as he walked out from his own fire.

"SHOTOOOOOO!"

Neon looked across the stadium to see the legendary hero, Endeavor, howling from the stairs, "Have you finally accepted yourself? That's it. Good! It all starts from here to you! With my blood, you will take my place at the top. You will fulfill my desire!"

Neon narrowed her eyes and she raised her hand. She was just about to snap her fingers when her hand was grabbed by Tenya. She turned to her friend and he shook his head.

"He might be loud," Tenya said, "But let him speak to his son, Neon-san. You don't want to offend the number two hero."

"Tch," Neon said but lowered her hand anyways. Tenya might not know about Todoroki's relationship but he was right. Neon shouldn't butt in.

However, the teachers did not feel the same way as a walls of cement started to form. At the same time, Midnight lowered her glove, exuding a pink mist out of her arm just as Midoriya charged up his leg and Todoroki launched an ice attack bigger than anyone had seen thus far from him. Midoriya raced through the air with his leg flailing behind him as Todoroki shot out fiery blast.

 _Kaboom!_

"Man, seriously?!" Denki shouted as everything came together in a frightening collision, sending strong winds and debris up into the stands.

"What is happening? I can't see anything!" Momo cried.

"Who won the match?" Katsuki demanded.

"Cool it, Noisy Boy. Let's at least check for signs of life," Neon shot back.

The mist began to clear from the field below and everyone waited with bated breath for the verdict.

"M-Midoriya-kun is out of bounds," Midnight cried, "Todoroki-kun advances to the third round!"

* * *

Todoroki walked sullenly through the exit. His feet echoing through the dark, cement tunnel. He stopped when he reached the middle, where his old man stood.

"'You're in my way…' You're not going to say that?" Endeavor asked his son. His eyes trailed over the exposed left side of Todoroki's torso. The fabric had burnt off from his Quirk...Endeavor's Quirk, "You need to control your left side. You're just letting it all out, and it's dangerous."

Endeavor nodded at his own sound advice and then he threw out his hand. "But you have abandoned your childish tantrum and finally become a perfect upgrade of me. After you graduate, come work for me! I'll lead you down the path of the mighty."

"This is not something I can easily abandon," Todoroki said as he lifted up his left hand, "I'm not like her. I can't just easily shirk off something that I've been carrying this whole time."

" _Just let it go! Be who you want to be."_

Endeavor tilted his head to the side. "Her?"

"It's just that…" Todoroki said as he closed his fist, "For that one moment...I forgot about you."

"What?" Endeavor gasped.

Todoroki walked past his father. "Whether that is a good thing or a bad thing...Whether it is correct or not...I need to think about it...but in that moment...I...just did not give a fuck."

* * *

"Wait. Maybe we should knock or ring a bell before-" Neon started to protest as she watched her classmates storm their way into Recovery Girl's temporary office to check in on Midoriya. They had waited until after Tenya had beaten the girl in Class 1B who could manipulate vines to check on their friend together. Neon entered the room last and she raised an eyebrow when she saw the gaunt mode of All Might standing next to Midoriya's bed.

"Oh...Hello, sir…" Ochaco said, "Nice to meet you."

"Yeah…" All Might said back as he waved weakly to the kids. His eyes caught Neon's and she let out a snort.

 _How do they not notice?!_

"You're all so noisy," Recovery Girl sighed.

"Everyone, what about the next match?' Midoriya asked with his arms bandaged over each other and his leg bandaged as well.

"Since there was a lot of damage to the stage, they're taking a break to repair it," Tenya said.

"That match earlier was scary, Midoriya. What pro's gonna want that?!" Mineta exclaimed.

 _Slap! Thwack!_

Tsu smacked her tongue across Mineta's face while Neon kicked him on the shins.

"OWWWW!" Mineta cried, "What's that for?"

"I don't like your style of rubbing salt into his wound," Tsu said.

"I just don't like your style," Neon shrugged.

"Be quiet! I know you're worried but I've got to do surgery now!" Recovery Girl announced.

"SURGERY?!" the students exclaimed.

"Go on now, get out of here!" Recovery Girl said with a longer, more pointed look at Neon.

"Alright. We're in the way...We need to go. Get well soon, Midoriya...And...watch over him...Sir," Neon said as she ushered her classmates out of the room and gave a small nod to All Might, who looked absolutely soaked in guilt. When she closed the door behind her, she turned to see that Tenya was looking stoically at her.

"Neon-san...May I have a word with you in private?"

"This is the second time today you guys have walked away to speak alone. Are you two going out?" Tsu asked and both Neon and Tenya jumped back in horror.

"Dear god no," Neon shouted as Tenya's hands waved like a mad man.

"Indeed, it would be an honor to be with someone of high caliber such as Neon-san but our personalities are completely incompatible for a lifelong intimate relationship."

Neon stuck out her tongue and gagged. "Oh god. I don't even want to hear you say the word 'intimate'. Ugh. So gross."

Ochaco giggled. "Well, I guess your relationship is more like brother and sister, huh?"

"What a waste," Mineta grumbled, "Iida, you could've at least tried to get to second base."

 _Thwack!_

"Ribbit. That's enough out of you," Tsu said with another swipe of her tongue.

Neon shook her head exasperatedly and redirected her attention at the class rep. "You wanted advice on your battle with Todoroki, right?"

Tenya nodded. "Ah...Your analytical skills would be most helpful to me."

"Okay. Let's go to the waiting room and I'll talk with you there," Neon said as they walked down the hallway together, "By the way, is your brother here today?"

Tenya shook his head. "He is on duty today but he has said he will be watching once he gets some freetime."

"He's always been a hard worker," Neon said.

"Ah...Speaking of family…" Tenya said, "I'm sorry to be blunt but...What is the status of...That is...Erm…"

"I am now Nagano Neon...Legally emancipated from the Nishiyama family," Neon said brightly.

Tenya's jaw dropped. "WHHHHAAT?! But what about Akia-chan?!"

Neon shrugged. "Turned out Koushi isn't as unfeeling as I thought him to be...He said I could still see her anytime I wanted to...when his parents are out of town, of course."

"I see," Tenya said, "And so...where will you be staying then?"

Neon stopped and she looked up at the ceiling. "Oh yeah…"

"YOU DON'T KNOW?!" Tenya shouted.

Neon shrugged. "I'll figure it out later. There's time. Let's talk battle strategy."

"Oh…" Tenya said, taken aback by the sudden pivot in topics, "Very well...If you insist...I was thinking that-"

Neon lifted her finger and pointed up. "That's all you have to do."

Tenya jutted his hand upwards. "Up?"

"Aerial assault," Neon said, "During the cavalry battle, Todoroki did nothing while we were up in the air while Noisy Boy came after us. Maybe you guys were just waiting for the timer to run before you guys attacked but...I don't think Todoroki would've risked it because you guys didn't know when we would be coming back down. If he could've iced us in the air, he would've."

"But...Neon-san...I can't fly," Tenya said.

"You don't need to. You just need to focus on jumping and use your Quirk to get higher up," Neon said as she opened the door to the waiting room, "Why don't you call your brother to see if he has any tips on how to heighten your hang time with your Quirk?"

"Oh...Indeed, he would be the best person to ask," Tenya said as he took out his phone. He rang his brother's number but then hung up after a few moments, "He's not answering. He must be very immersed in his work. I, too, must immerse myself in this experience."

"Oh!" Neon shouted when she saw the phone in his hand, "I got a new number! Here! Update your contacts."

"Ah...Yes," he said as they synced up their phones.

"I'll leave you to prepare then," Neon said, "Think about what I said."

"I will," Tenya replied as Neon headed back into the stands.

As she rounded a corner, she saw that Todoroki was heading her way. Most likely heading to the other waiting area to prepare as well. He paused in his step when he saw her, which made her stop as well.

"Were you just with Iida?" he asked.

Neon nodded.

"Advising him on the best strategy against me?"

Neon shrugged. "Nothing personal. He asked."

"Then what if I asked you what the best strategy is to go against him? What would you say?"

"I'd say you wouldn't need advice from me," Neon said as she went on her way, "Good luck out there."

"It should've been you…" he said.

Neon stopped. "Huh?"

"If you had followed through on your match against Tenya...If you didn't warn him to brake in time, you would've won," Todoroki said, "And this match would've been me versus you."

Neon shrugged. "Maybe I'd lose to that Shiozaki girl."

"No, you wouldn't," Todoroki said.

Neon smiled. "You think that highly of me?"

"Yes."

Neon's smile wavered ever so slightly. "I'm touched. Tell me more good things. I've had a rough day. I need an ego boost."

"You..." Todoroki sighed and looked down at his hands, "You are not easy to talk to."

"Black pot," Neon said as she pointed at Todoroki and then turned her finger to herself, "Black kettle."

A small chuckle escaped from Todoroki and Neon cupped her ears. "Am I having ear problems again? Did you...just laugh?"

Todoroki stifled his laugh but Neon could see the edges of his lips were tilted upwards. "Nishiya-"

"Neon...Just call me Neon from now on," Neon said, "I'm no longer a Nishiyama."

"What?"

Neon held out her hands and shrugged. "I told you...It's liberating if you just don't give a fuck."

"Ah...About that…" Todoroki said, "Thanks."

"Did it help you?"

"I think so... "

"Your match with Midoriya?"

"Yeah…"

Neon raised an eyebrow. "You remembered what I said? Is that what made you use your left side?"

Todoroki shook his head. "No...It was because of something Midoriya said that...made me remember something that made me forget about my old man completely...But...I did recall your advice afterwards when I saw my old man."

"And?"

"It's as you said...It impacted him more that I admitted I forgot about him...then anything else I had ever done thus far…," Todoroki said, "To be honest...I don't know if I'll be able to do that again so easily. I don't think I would've done it if Midoriya did not push me that far…"

"Who knows...maybe it'll take a long time before you can get to that point again...There are some wounds that the heart just can't fully heal from," Neon said with a shrug, "But progress is still progress."

"Has _your_ heart fully healed?"

"No," Neon admitted, "And I doubt it ever will...But..it's as close as I'll ever get it to so I'll just focus on maintaining it."

"By...not giving a fuck?"

"Yeah. Exactly," Neon laughed and this time they both shared a smile.


	19. Sounds Like There's Still a Fight II

**Ch 19 - Sounds Like There's Still a Fight II**

"Nice one, Iida!" Kirishima cheered as Iida did a perfect backflip in the air and landed a kick to Todoroki's head. Without missing a beat, Iida grabbed Todoroki and he ran to the edge to throw Todoroki out of bounds. Just as he got to the edge, he froze...Literally.

Ice sprouted out from Todoroki's hand as he grabbed Iida by the calves, stuffing his muffler with ice and then encasing the class rep entirely in it.

"So close!" Neon groaned as she sat back in her seat.

"Iida-kun is immobilized! Todoroki-kun wins!'

The crowd erupted into cheers while Neon frowned and leaned towards Ochaco. "I think I might be cursed."

"Eh? Why is that?"

"Midoriya...You...and now Iida-kun...Whenever I cheer for someone, they lose…" Neon sighed, "God. I hate competitions...Even watching it is stressful."

Ochaco giggled. "Well, it's not like Deku-kun and Iida-kun lost everything. They won their first matches right?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"What about the next match? Tokoyami against Bakugo...Who are you rooting for?"

"Tokoyami, of course," Neon said and then she leaned back again, "But...Ugh...He's at such a disadvantage…"

Her fears turned to be justified as the last match of the semi-finals swayed heavily in Bakugo's favor as it went on. His fiery blasts weakened the shadow creature and with the sun looming overhead, it was hard for Tokoyami to recharge in any way.

"Tokoyami-kun gives up!" Midnight announced, "Bakugo wins."

"See?! I'm cursed," Neon sighed as Ochaco and Midoriya did nothing to hide their amusement to her grief.

"The final will be a matchup of Todoroki versus Bakugo!" Present Mic shouted to the crowd's delight.

"I wonder what'll happen in a match between those two…" Midoriya said.

"We'll have to watch carefully and get our revenge next time!" Tenya announced as he walked down the steps. He locked eyes with Neon, then Midoriya and Ochaco. Then he smiled to let them know he was okay with his loss.

 _Bzzzzzzt. Bzzzzzzt._

"Whoa! What is happening?!" Midoriya and Ochaco shouted when Tenya started to tremble all over.

"My phone," Tenya said while Neon rolled her eyes.

"You have to adjust your settings," she sighed as Tenya took the call away from the stands.

"Well then…" Ochaco said as she continued this little game Neon had started, "Between Bakugo and Todoroki...Who are you rooting for?"

"I'm going to say Bakugo…" Neon said.

"EH?!" that shocked both Ochaco and Midoriya.

Neon shrugged. "Because I want him to lose...If I'm cursed, I should cheer on the one I want to lose, right?"

That cracked her friends up again. "I...I don't think that's how it works, Neon," Ochaco said.

"So you do think it works though? That the curse is real?" Neon asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Well...you do have a tendency to pick the losing side…" Ochaco admitted.

"Neon-san! Midoriya-kun. Uraraka-chan...May I speak to you guys for a moment?" Tenya asked as he appeared at the top of the steps again. However this time, his jovial demeanor was gone.

The three shared a confused look as they got out of their seats.

"What's wrong?" Neon asked as soon as they were in the empty hallway.

"T-This is sudden but I must leave early," Tenya said, "A villain got my older brother."

"What?!" Neon gasped.

"Your brother? You mean Ingenium?!" Midoriya demanded.

"How's he doing?" Ochaco asked.

"I don't know the details...so I'm going to go visit him directly to see," Tenya said.

"Hold on," Neon said as she pulled out her phone and dialed her brother's number, "Hey! It's me. This is an emergency. Can I use the family helicopter? Just think of it as a going away present for me. Ingenium-san is in the hospital and I need to get Iida-kun over there right away...Yeah...Just him...Yeah...I understand. Okay. Thanks!"

She hung up her phone and she grabbed Tenya by the wrist. "Come on. My brother is sending a helicopter for you now to take you to Houshi General. That's where your brother is right? Get to the school's helipad now."

"W-Wait!" Tenya shouted.

"Our school has a helipad?!" Ochaco asked at the same time.

"Please don't trouble yourself, Neon-san!" Tenya said, "I don't want to-"

"I've known him just as long as I've known you, Iida-kun," Neon said, "I'm worried too."

"And I'll let Sensei know that you had to leave because of a family emergency," Midoriya said.

"Th-thank you, you guys," Tenya said as he ran off.

Neon couldn't concentrate on anything else after Tenya left. She barely could pay attention to Todoroki and Bakugo's match. Tensei rarely got hurt and even so, it was never urgent enough for Tenya to leave school for immediately. Neon's mind then went to Tenya's mother. She was such a strong, dependable woman. Even though she only met her a handful of times, Neon never saw Tenya's mother show any signs of fear or worry when her husband or son was on duty. If anything, the only thing she ever exuded was pride. She would light up just as much as Tenya did when talking about the achievements of Ingenium.

 _Please...If there's a god….Look after the Iida family..._ Neon prayed as she sat with her hands clasped in her lap. _Please…_

She kept her face blank, though, as not to alarm Ochaco or Midoriya. There was no point in sharing her worry with them. Why burden them when there's nothing any of them could do at the moment.

"What? He didn't use it!"

Midoriya's exclamation made Neon refocus on the match. The entire field was almost completely covered and walled in by ice with a small patch left untouched. Katsuki and Todoroki stood at opposite ends of the patch with Katsuki clearly yelling angrily at Todoroki.

"BASTARD! I'll show you what'll happen if you make a fool of me! I'll kill you!" Katsuki yelled, "I want an indisputable first place! I can't get that even if I beat scum that underestimates me. There's no point if I can't get higher up than Deku. If you have no intention of winning, then don't stand in front of me! Even Dye Job had the decency to bow out so why the hell are you standing here, damn it?!"

"Oy...Don't drag me into your fight," Neon muttered but the rest of Noisy Boy's statement she couldn't help but agree with. She might not understand competition but she did understand respect. Was Todoroki not giving it his all?

"Todoroki-kun! Don't lose! DO YOUR BEST!" Midoriya shouted suddenly.

Todoroki's widened eyes went to him and then they went to Neon, who raised her middle finger at him.

"AH!" Ochaco cried out at Neon's crude gesture, "I...I thought you wanted Todoroki to win!"

"I do…" Neon said, "That's not what this means."

"What?! What else does that mean?" Ochaco asked.

 _Don't give a fuck._

Katsuki exploded into the air and rocketed towards Todoroki, whose ice around his right side began to melt.

"He's using it...He's using it!" Midoriya exclaimed as fire raged out of Todoroki's left side.

Katsuki started to explode at different angles, spinning himself into a whirling ball of power while Todoroki raised his flame covered left arm.

"Howitzer...IMPACT!" Katsuki yelled but just as his hand reached out, a wall of ice sprouted between him and Todoroki, whose flame extinguished into a puff of smoke.

 _Kaboom!_

"Wow! He added momentum and rotation to the huge blast he showed us in his fight with Uraraka! He was like a human projectile!" Present Mic exclaimed, "It looks like Todoroki didn't fire off the huge blast he used in his match with Midoriya...but the winner is…"

The dust and smoke cleared from the field and Neon jumped to her feet. Todoroki laid limp with a smashed iceberg behind him. He was out of bounds but Neon didn't care about that. The boy looked totally beaten, when he didn't need to be.

 _His trauma...is deep…_ , Neon thought as Katsuki ran over to the unconscious boy and began to shake him viciously by the collar.

"Are you fucking kidding me?! Stop screwing around!" Noisy Boy howled, "Didn't I tell you that there was no point, damn it?! To get first place like this! Like this?!"

A purple mist floated over to Katsuki and he dropped like a rag doll. He rolled off the iceberg and began to snore. Midnight pulled down her sleeve, stopping any more of her sleeping Quirk to emit, and then walked over to the boys. "Todoroki-kun is out of bounds...which means Bakugo Katsuki WINS!"

"And now all of the events have been completed!" Present Mic shouted, "The winner of this year's first-year UA sports festival is...from Class A, Bakugo Katsuki!"

"Whoa...What an ending," Kirishima said as he got up to his feet along with the rest of their class as they headed down to the field for the awards ceremony.

"I know...and Bakugo is piiiiiissed," Sero chuckled.

Once again, Neon hung back so that she was the last to leave. However, this time it was because she couldn't stop staring at Todoroki laying on his broken ice. He had the same expression as he did when he entered the room while she was preparing for her battle with Tenya. He looked sad...and heavy.

"Win next time, Cool Hair," Neon said with no one around to hear her, "Because I'm rooting for you."

* * *

"Wow," was all Momo could say.

"What the hell?" Jiro mumbled.

"Ladies and gentlemen, our number 1…" Neon said dryly as they watched the top three first years get raised into the air by an automated platform with Katsuki completely chained to his spot and a metal muzzle around his face. He was thrashing about with his curses and angered shouting muffled.

"He's been struggling ever since waking up," Kirishima sighed, "But man...doesn't he look like a psychopath up there?!"

"In addition to Tokoyami-kun, there is also Iida-kun in third place," Midnight said as she posed for the media, "But he left early for family reasons. Thank you for your understanding!"

"Wow...Even Midnight Sensei isn't immune to the attention of the press," Denki whispered.

"That's too bad. Iida-chan was really into it," Tsu said and then she looked to Neon, "Is everything going to be okay?"

"I don't know," Neon admitted, "But...if anyone can pull through it, it will be the Iida family."

They watched as All Might gave words of encouragement and a medal to the three on the podium. First it was Tokoyami, then Todoroki, and finally, when he reached Bakugo, the most All Might could do was take off the muzzle and drape the medal on Bakugo's fanged lower jaw.

"Noisy Boy's about to foam at the mouth," Neon guessed.

"Well! They were the winners this time...But listen here! Anyone here could have ended up on these podiums. It's just as you saw...Competing, improving each other and climbing even further! The next generation of heroes is definitely sprouting!" All Might exclaimed, "So I have just one more thing to say...So, everyone, please say it with me! Ready, go!"

"PLUS ULTRA!" the crowd cheered.

"Thanks for your hard work!" All Might roared.

"Boo. Booo! It should've been 'Plus Ultra!'" the crowd chastised while All Might rubbed the back of his head and laughed.

The students all changed back into their uniforms and gathered back into their classrooms for one last briefing before dismissal. The sun was setting and it added an orange and purple tint to their usually stark white classroom. It looked to Neon like they were in some sort of surreal limbo.

"Well then," Aizawa said, "Good work...for the most part. There will be no school tomorrow or the day after. I'm sure the pro heroes who watched the sports festival will want to recruit you...but we'll consolidate everything and announce it when you get back...So rest well and look forward to it."

"Yes, sir!"

"Oh and Nishi-...No..It's Nagano now, isn't it?," Aizawa mumbled, "Right. Nagano! Gather your things and go to the principal's office. They'd like to have a word with you."

"They?" Neon asked.

Aizawa nodded while everyone shot a curious gaze towards Neon.

"Alright. Dismissed!"

"Nagano? What's up with that? Did your parents get divorced?" Kirishima asked bluntly when Neon walked past his desk.

"No," Neon said, "I've been emancipated. I'm a child of the government now."

 _Why hide it? They'll find out eventually._

"WHAT?!" Kirishima and Mina shouted while Ochaco and Midoriya gaped at her with their mouths opened. Everyone else stared at her wide-eyed except Todoroki, who kept his expression in his usual cool and aloof state.

Neon shrugged, giving all of them the least satisfactory explanation possible. She went to the principal's office and discovered that the "they" Eraser Head was referring to was Principal Nezu and a government employee named Ito. Ito was a young woman in her early 30's with a cheery disposition and long, red hair that complimented the natural blush in her cheeks when she smiled.

"Have you ever looked at a whirlpool before, Neon-chan?" Principal Nezu asked brightly when they were finished with introductions, "It is quite mesmerizing to watch. The swirling waters, the push and pull of nature...The centrifugal motion…"

"Please get to your point, Principal Nezu," Neon pleaded.

"It is entertaining from the sidelines but dangerous when you get pulled in it yourself," he said as he poured some hot water into a teacup, "Words can have the same effect so I hope that you will choose yours more wisely next time."

"I'm sorry I lost my temper out on the field," Neon said.

"And I'm sorry too for not taking to heart your feelings about competition," Principal Nezu said, "As educators, it is your Sensei and my responsibility to guide you to a brighter future. The mistakes you make are also a reflection of our own missteps."

He looked down at his teacup and then he smiled. "Ah! Just in time. My tea is ready! Now shall we discuss your living arrangements?"

"Huh?"

Ito smiled and she handed over a beige folder to Neon. "These are all the government owned efficiency apartments. Please take a look and pick which one best suits your needs and budget."

"Budget?" Neon asked.

"Yes," Ito said as she added a green folder to Neon's hold, "This is your monthly financial outlook, processed and organized by Nishiyama Koushi-san. In that folder, you will find your monthly allowance and a suggested budget breakdown of how you should be spending it."

"...Okay…" Neon said as she opened up the green folder and her eyebrow raised, "Why does it say furniture budget for the first month?"

"Oh, yes," Ito said, "Our efficiency apartments available to you are all unfurnished. You will have to buy any furniture you require yourself."

Neon blinked. "And...this is an apartment I'll be moving into...today?"

"Yes."

"You're telling me this now."

"Yes."

"At 4pm."

"Yes."

"Well then, crap! I don't have time to talk to you. I need to get to a furniture store now!"

"Neon-chan...At least pick a dwelling first," the rodent educator advised before Neon could dash off, "So you know where to tell the furniture store to send things too."

"Right. Thanks, Principal," Neon said as she flipped open the beige folder. She scanned through the listings looking for the only two amenities she really needed, "This one!"

"17 square meters? Are you sure, Nagano-san?" Ito asked , "I believe that's the smallest one we have."

Neon nodded. "Yeah but it's closest to a train station and it has an elevator."

"Very well," Ito said with a nod, "I will get that sorted for you right away...Make sure to write down the address. I believe there are some affordable furniture stores in-"

"No worries. I already know. I hear people talking about sales and deals all the time," Neon said as she jotted down her new address on her arm, "The perks of walking around a grocery store. Housewives gossip SO much."

Ito's smile became even warmer. "I did see on your file that you were a very capable child but to know it in person is very comforting. I look forward to my weekly visits, Nagano-san. My visits will be on random days of the week and either at 6:30AM on weekdays or 9PM on weekends. They will last for an hour minimum."

"Making sure I'm going to school and not getting into trouble?" Neon grinned.

Ito laughed. "Yes. Exactly. I will always alert you that I am coming an hour before I do. Principal Nezu has also agreed to share with me your curriculum so I am aware of any special events and circumstances in your class schedule so I will not choose a time when I know will be an inconvenience to your studies."

"Understood."

Ito clapped her hands in front of her and she gave a stern nod. "I have to emphasize that you must not miss any home visits or else these special circumstances Nishiyama-san has set up for you will be rescinded and you _will_ be put into the foster care system. Is that clear?"

"Crystal."

Principal Nezu cleared his throat. "I will also like to add that as Neon-chan is part of the hero course, should she miss any of these home visits due to a last minute change in school or even a future internship, it will be fine as long as Neon-chan has someone of the UA faculty or a pro hero give her written permission?"

"Yes, that is correct," Ito said, "Calling me using a registered number from either this school or a pro hero's office will suffice as well to let me know. As long as I can confirm that she is with a pro hero or a member of the faculty during that time, we will be okay. At the same time, when she does start an internship or any new scheduled activity, I will need to be made aware of this."

"So you're like...my secretary," Neon said.

That struck a nerve and Ito's smile turned into a vicious scowl that could give Noisy Boy's a run for his money. From his desk, the principal very quietly slipped on a pair of black sunglasses.

"Please do not trivialize this important line of work!" Ito shouted, "I take great pride in the care and upbringing of my wards. Children are the future and I will make sure that their future is...BRIIIIGHT!"

She pointed her finger in the air and suddenly the whole room was shrouded in a blinding light.

"Marvelous," Principal Nezu said as he clapped his paws.

"Could've warned me, Principal…" Neon grunted as she tried to blink out the stars in her eyes.

"Yes, I could have," he admitted, "It's just been awhile since I saw Ito-san's Quirk...She was a student in the general course, you know?"

"You don't say…" Neon said as she rubbed her eyes, "Well...this has been a blast...Is that all I need to know or can I go get a mattress now?"

"Yes. Do you need a ride? I have my car," Ito suggested.

"Naw. I like public transportation," Neon said, "You can't hear anything good when you're sitting in a metal can...Except during rush hour...Then you hear too much."

"Okay. Please don't hesitate to call if you run into any problems," Ito said and handed her a business card with the letters printed in silver foil, "Please think of me as an aunt or a friendly neighbor. If you have any questions or concerns, please call me right away. Do not hesitate. I will be there for you. Always."

"Thanks, Ito-san. I'll keep that in mind."


	20. Sounds Like a Hero Name

**Ch 20 - Sounds Like a Hero Name**

"Psst...Psst…Hey..."

Neon felt a nudge on her back and she lowered her headphones. She blinked at the middle-aged man squishing next to her on the train.

"Neon from the Hero Course, right?"

Over the tinny music coming out of her detached headphones, Neon could hear the whispers around her and she could feel several pairs of eyes locked in her direction.

She hadn't been out in public since moving into her new apartment. During her days off from school, she spent it by settling into her new life. Most of her time was just sorting and throwing out all the stuff Koushi had boxed and sent to her from her old room. Now that she didn't have as much space and had to scale it all down to a bare minimum, she was brutally aware of how much she had before.

" _Yeah! That's the sound girl!"_

" _She's the one that quit because she didn't want to fight her friend!"_

" _Didn't she quit because she hates competition?"_

" _Didn't she berate the heroes? I don't get it. What's wrong with watching sports? Heroes need down time too!"_

"Yeah...I'm her," Neon sighed, "In the flesh."

"I was actually rooting for you," a young woman said almost directly into Neon's ear.

"Too close!" Neon said as she jerked her head away and resisted the urge to bubble herself. The woman smiled apologetically at her and it made Neon even more uncomfortable, "Erm...Thank you for the support?"

"Nishi-...Neon…" a low voice murmured from behind.

She felt someone grab her hand and pull her towards the door, where there was a small corner of empty space. Neon lifted her hand but before she could snap her fingers, a hand covered hers, stopping her from using her quirk, and a familiar face came into view.

" _Ah! That's Endeavor's son!"_

"It's me," Todoroki said as he put her in the corner, dropped his hold, and stood in front of her, blocking anyone else from coming near.

"Th-Thanks," Neon said. Her hand reached into her pocket and fumbled about to pause the music. The whispers and chatter grew more incessant and Neon had to put in extra effort to ignore them and focus on her classmate, "I...I didn't see you at all."

Todoroki shrugged. "You don't usually take this train."

"Ah...Yeah. I moved," Neon said, "So I guess we'll be commuting together from now on."

"Yeah…" he said.

"Oy! Endeavor's son! You were amazing at the sports festival! Congratulations on coming in second!" someone called out but Todoroki ignored them, which seemed not to bother his new fan, "Ha! Just like his old man!"

 _That,_ however, made Todoroki twitch but he kept his attention on Neon. Apparently, she wasn't the only one who was consciously and deliberately ignoring the other passengers.

"How are Iida and his family doing?"

Neon blinked and was once again surprised by his action. For him to proactively ask about the well-being of another classmate? Todoroki was being more sociable than his usual self. A lot had happened to her during the sports festival that had brought a significant change to her life. Maybe the same could be said for him?

"I'm not sure. I haven't heard much from him after the sports festival," Neon shrugged and then averted her eyes to the window. In truth, she hadn't heard anything at all from Tenya once he reached the hospital. She of all people understood the need for privacy, especially when it came to family, but it was taking all of her patience and self-control not to reach out to Tenya and pry the truth out of him with brute force, if necessary.

"Ah. I'm sure everything is okay. If anything fatal happened to Ingenium, I'm sure we would've seen it on the news," Todoroki said.

"That is true…" Neon whispered as she watched the train pull into their stop.

The rest of their commute to the school was in silence, which Neon appreciated. The situation with the Iida family did not sit well with her at all and she had thrown herself into unpacking and settling in with much more fervor than necessary just so that she could take her mind off of it. It wasn't like she and Tenya had a habit of talking to each other daily so nothing was out of the ordinary but she still worried. Maybe it was Todoroki's words of encouragement or just his shared sentiment that he was thinking about Tenya too but Neon did find slight comfort as they walked. However, when they got to the classroom, Neon headed straight for Iida's desk.

 _Thud._

"Well?" she demanded from the class rep.

He looked at her in confusion. "I do not understand the question-"

"Is he really okay?" Neon said.

Tenya let out a tight smile. "Yes. My brother is fine. I apologize for worrying you needlessly."

 _He sounds like he's lying._

"Iida-kun," Neon said, dropping her voice into a whisper, "If there's anything you need-"

"I am fine, Neon-san. Thank you for your concern."

"Okay...just know I'm here," Neon said.

Tenya adjusted his glasses and he nodded. "Ah. Thank you for the offer. And how was your move? How are you liking your new neighborhood?"

"It's fine," Neon said with a shrug, understanding his swift change in subject. She didn't burden Tenya with her problems at the sports festival so she was willing to give him his space...At least for now., "You can come over if you want...If you don't mind the small space."

"Indeed. I would imagine any space compared to your previous housing situation would be considered small," Tenya said and then he gasped when her offer sank in, "Y-You're inviting me? To your home?"

Neon nodded. "I mean, there's no one to protect other than me now so...Yeah. I don't need to keep my home a secret anymore."

"That is quite an honor!" Tenya shouted as he shot up from his chair.

"You're making a bigger deal of it than it is," Neon hissed as she placed a palm to her face.

"So many people talked to me on the way here!" Mina exclaimed as she burst into the room, "They all recognized me from TV!"

"Ah. Me too!" Kirishima said.

"People were staring at me too. It was kind of embarrassing," Hagakure said.

"Isn't that normal for you, Hagakure?" Ojiro laughed.

"I had some elementary schoolers suddenly tell me, 'Don't worry about it'," Sero cried.

"Don't worry about it," Tsu quipped.

Sero grabbed his head. "Ahhhhh!"

"UA really is amazing, huh?" Denki sighed.

The door opened and their teacher walked in. "Mornin'..."

"Good morning!" the students shouted back as Neon hustled to her seat.

"Ribbit! Aizawa Sensei! Your bandages are gone," Tsu called out, "I'm glad."

"Ah…." he said as he brushed a hand over his newly exposed face, "The old lady went overboard with her treatment."

Neon chuckled. _Tons of kisses for Eraser Head…_

"More importantly, we're having a special hero informatics class today," Aizawa stated, "Today...you're going to come up with your hero name."

"Ehhhh?!" The class jumped out of their chairs in excitement but a flash of reddened eyes from their teacher made them all sit back down.

"This is related to the pro hero draft picks I mentioned the other day," Aizawa said, "The drafts begin in earnest in the second and third years after students have gained experience and can become immediate assets to the pros. In other words, for them to extend offers to first years like you shows that they are interested in your future potential...These offers are often canceled if that interest dies down by graduation so don't think that if you have an offer that you can take it easy. You'll have to continually prove yourself until graduation."

The class gulped.

"So...here are the totals for those with offers," Aizawa said as he projected the results on the screen.

\- Todoroki - 4123  
\- Bakugo - 3556  
\- Tokoyami - 360  
\- Iida - 293  
\- Kaminari - 272  
\- Yaoyorozu - 108  
\- Kirishima - 67  
\- Uraraka - 20  
\- Sero - 14  
\- Nagano - 3

"There's usually more of a spread...but this year, all eyes were on the top two...And...we had some...irrational behavior from some of those who made it into the finals," Aizawa stated.

"Gah, there's such a big difference!" Kaminari sighed.

"Those pros don't know a good thing when they see one," Aoyama huffed.

 _Three, huh?,_ Neon thought as she rested her chin on her hand, _Well...I did say I didn't need anyone's approval...Poor Midoriya...He didn't even make it on the list because of his crazy style of fighting._

"Y-You're amazing, Todoroki-san," Momo said to her desk mate, "You've gotten the most offers."

"They're probably all because of my dad," Todoroki stated.

"Your number's not bad either, Momo," Neon said to lighten the mood, "You've got 36 times more offers than me."

"It's your attitude, Neon," Denki said, "You scared them off like Bakugo."

"HUH? Why would any of the pros be scared of me?!" Katsuki blasted back.

"Oy. Pay attention!" Aizawa chastised, "Keeping these results in mind, whether or not anyone asked for you, you will all be participating in internships with pros. It will be meaningful training for you to see pros at work firsthand."

"So that explains the hero name," Sato shouted.

Aizawa nodded. "Well...those hero names are still temporary...but if you're not serious about it-"

"You'll have hell to pay later!" Midnight yelled as she pushed the door open and strutted in. Her high heels clacked against the cold tile floor and her hips wiggled suggestively as she made her way to the podium, "Because a lot of hero names used by students become recognized by society...and they end up becoming professional hero names!"

"Well, that's how it is…" Aizawa drawled, "So...Midnight will be making sure your names are okay. I can't do anything like that...When you give yourself a name, you can get a more concrete image of what you want to be like in the future..."

 _A concrete image, huh?_

They handed out white index cards for everyone to write out their name. Neon thought about her sister's most recent suggestion but then pushed it firmly out.

 _Sorry, Akia. Rainbow Hero: Shiny Nee-chan just won't cut it…_

"Okay...When you guys are ready, you'll come up and present your names to the class," Midnight shouted.

"What?! We're presenting these?" Kirishima shouted.

"Think of it as practice for your debut to the public!" Midnight said, "Introduce yourself anew to your class and leave a lasting impression with your name!"

 _Introduce myself...and leave a lasting impression._

Neon tapped her pen against her desk in a rhythmic beat as she thought about it. She stared at her blank page as Aoyama got up to the classroom.

"Here I go…" he said and flipped his card over, "Shining Hero: I cannot stop twinkling!"

"What?! A sentence?" Deku gasped in horror as everyone's faces wrinkled in disbelief.

"It'll be easier to use if you take out the 'I' and shorten the 'cannot' to just 'can't'," Midnight suggested as she marked up his board and returned it to him.

"What?! That passes?!" Sato exclaimed.

"Then I'll go next!" Mina called out as she skipped to the front of the room, "Hero name...ALIEN QUEEN!"

"What?! Like the movie? That's too much of a copyright issue. Think of something else!" Midnight shouted.

Neon snorted. As ridiculous as both names were, it did add a new light to Neon's brainstorm.

 _I'm making this a bigger deal than it is...I don't need to be fantastical...Or epic...I can just...be me…_

"Ribbit! Then...May I go next?" Tsu asked.

"Of course!" Midnight said.

Tsu went to the podium and she looked nervously at her card. "I've had this in mind ever since I was in elementary school...Rainy Season Hero: Froppy!"

"That's so cute and it seems friendly! I like it! It's a great example of a name everyone will love" Midnight cooed.

"Froppy! Froppy! Froppy!" the class chanted, relieved that there was at least one acceptable hero name in their eyes.

"Midnight Sensei...I'm ready too," Neon said as she raised her hand.

"Yes! Come on up!" Midnight said as Neon went to the podium.

She shrugged at her classmates. "You all know about my name change and that I'm now a ward of the state but...Whether I'm Nishiyama or Nagano or Nintendo or Ninja...Whatever the case...I'm still Neon...So that's my name…"

She turned her card around. "Sound Hero: DJ Neon…"

"DJ?" Jirou asked.

Neon shrugged. "I mix sounds."

"Yes!" Midnight cheered, "It is youthful! It is high energy! Sound Hero: DJ Neon! APPROVED!"

Neon got back to her desk and she slumped at her desk. Now she just had to live up to her name.

One by one, the students came up to present their names and all were pretty good until...

"KING EXPLOSION MURDER!'

"Wow..." Neon breathed.

"What's wrong with it?! It conveys my emotions perfectly!" Noisy Boy shouted back.

Neon raised an eyebrow. "Oh. If that's your goal, your name should be Angry Hero: Tantrum King."

"WHAT WAS THAT?!"

"You probably shouldn't use something like that," Midnight said, "Go back to the drawing board...Now then, all that's left besides Bakugo is...Midoriya-kun and Iida-kun, I believe."

"Ah," Tenya said as Neon rested her chin in her hand as she started to doze off.

 _No need to guess. He's going to be Ingenium Turbo II or something along those lines…_

"Eh? You're using just your first name too?" Midnight asked and Neon's eyes shot open. She gaped at her friend, who was averting his eyes from hers and staring down at the podium.

 _Iida-kun! What are you playing at?!_

As soon as Tenya got back to his seat, Neon's hand shot up into the air. "Sensei! May I go to the bathroom?"

"Oh...Uh, yes. You are excused but don't take too long," Midnight said as Neon ran out of the room with her phone in hand. When she got to the bathroom, she dialed a number and held the phone to her ear.

"Hello. This is Hosu General Hospital, Admissions Desk."

"Hi...This is Nagano Neon. I would like to speak to Iida Fuyumi...She's the mother of a patient admitted there...I believe she might be visiting right now," Neon said, "Could you please page her? It's important. Not an emergency...Just important."

"Y-Yes…Please wait a minute…"

Neon paced back and forth in the bathroom until finally, a gentle but worried voice appeared at the other end of the line.

"Neon-chan? Is everything okay? Is it Tenya-kun?"

"Oh. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to startle you, Iida-san," Neon apologized, "I distinctly told the front desk that it was important and not an emergency but that's okay...Erm...I just wanted to call and check if you were alright...I heard about Tensei-san...and…"

"Thank you for your concern," Fuyumi sighed, "It is a bit of a struggle but Tensei-kun is staying strong...Even though he is forced to retire due to his paralysis-"

 _What?!_

"...He is staying upbeat knowing that Tenya-kun will take on that mantle."

Neon's chest tightened as the image of her struggling friend at the podium flashed through her mind. "I see...I'm very sorry about all this, Iida-san. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help."

"Thank you, Neon-chan. Just knowing that you are there for Tenya-kun is enough. Ever since you started the hero course together, he has been the happiest I have ever seen him."

"Ah...I'll be there for him always...I promise," Neon said.

"Okay. Please take care of yourself, Neon-chan...And when Tensei-kun is released from the hospital, you should come by for dinner."

"I'd like that…" Neon said, "Bye, Iida-san."

"Good-bye, Neon-chan."

Neon sucked in a breath and held her phone to her chest. _Fuuuck, Iida-kun. If it was that bad you should've told me._

She went back to the classroom and she looked over at Tenya, who was hunched over his desk. It was extremely different from his usual ramrod straight posture with his hand at the ready to shoot up into the air.

"Okay...Now that everyone has decided on their hero names, we'll go back to talking about the internships," Aizawa said, "They will last for a week. As for where you'll have them, those who had offers from pros will be given your own lists...so you can choose from those yourself. Those who didn't can choose from among the forty agencies around the country that will be accepting our interns. They all have work in different places and have different specialties. Think carefully before you choose. You have two days to decide. Dismissed."

Neon got her pitiful list of three agencies. It was almost better not to have stood out since having to choose from forty agencies would've been better than just three, regardless if those three saw something in her. She sighed and glanced over the list, not expecting much. Then her eyes registered the name printed at the top.

She dropped the paper as if it was on fire and she gaped at her sheet.

"Look, Dye Job...As scared as people are of me, I still got the recommendation of the #4 hero in the country, Blue Jeanist," Katsuki taunted as he sauntered over to her desk and waved his sheet in her face, "So what do you have to say about that?"

Neon held up her opened hand.

"Huh?"

"5…" Neon whispered as she pointed at her sheet with her free hand, "...I got drafted by #5…"

"WHAT?!" Kirishima ran to her desk, practically shoving Katsuki to the side, "You got drafted by Edgeshot?! I heard he's worked alone for YEARS!"

"That is a great opportunity, Neon-san," Tenya said as he turned in his seat.

"Actually…" Neon said as she reached for the paper and looked down at the other two names, "Edgeshot's office is in the eastward of the city...I kinda wanted to stay near the west…"

"Are you an idiot?!" Katsuki demanded.

Tenya got up from his seat and he marched over to her. "You cannot pass up this opportunity. Akia-chan will understand."

Neon stifled the urge to roll her eyes. _Idiot! I'm staying close so I can keep an eye on YOU!_

"What about you?" Neon shot back, "Who will you be interning with?"

"I...I have not decided yet," Tenya said, breaking off eye contact and going back to his seat.

 _Ugh. So easily readable, Iida-kun! You want to stay in Hosu!_

"You guys are crowding me," Todoroki said sullenly to Kirishima and Katsuki.

"What? You want to half-ass fight me again?" Katsuki snapped back but was pulled away by Kirishima.

"Sorry, Todoroki!" Kirishima said brightly.

Neon crossed her arms and she looked down at her paper. As much as she hated to admit it but Noisy Boy was right. It would be an idiot to pass up on this internship opportunity but she would be a useless piece of garbage if she wasn't there for her friend. She had made a promise Tenya's mother that she would be there for him so that's what she's going to do…

Right?


	21. Sounds Like a Reminder

**Ch 21 - Sounds Like A Reminder**

 _Sometimes I don't really know myself / Devil on my back, pray for me, need help / Angel in the front tryna guide my steps / Who do you call when you need some help?_

 _Ding-dong!_

Neon closed the laptop resting on her stomach, stopping the music, and she sat up from her bed. It was a quiet Saturday afternoon and she had already done everything she needed to do. The house was cleaned. The briefcase containing her hero suit sat next to her small duffel bag stuffed with a few clothes and toiletries she'd need during her internship. Her internship would be far away from her apartment but thankfully the hero she'd be working for did include lodging if needed. Even Ito had come to do her weekly check-in. Everything was all set.

So who could be at the door?

"Young Nagano! I have arrived!"

Neon leapt into a standing position, momentarily forgetting about her laptop and she slammed her palm down on the cover at the last second to keep the laptop from crashing on her feet.

"A-All Might?!" she exclaimed as she quickly set her laptop on the bed and rushed to the door, "What are you doing here?"

When she pulled back the door, she was surprised yet again when she saw a sheepish Midoriya standing next to the heroic form of the country's #1 hero, who had a rather large wooden crate tucked under his arm and balanced on his hip.

"And Midoriya too?" Neon asked.

"Us being here together is purely coincidental! Why? Because although we didn't discuss it with each other, it seems Young Midoriya and I came here with the same intentions," All Might laughed.

"S-Sorry to bother you," Midoriya said as his face grew redder by the second, "I would've called to talk but I didn't have your number…"

Neon couldn't help but cough out a laugh at her classmate's obvious discomfort. "Midoriya, is this the first time you came to visit a girl's home?"

Her answer was in the form of a brighter shade of red that darkened his cheeks.

"Come on in," Neon chuckled and stood back, allowing the two to enter the room, "Welcome."

Neon's apartment was fairly simple with mainly a twin size bed and a white bookcase along one side with various books, movies, vinyl records, and a record player placed horizontally on the open shelves, separating the room from the kitchen, which was to the side of the front door. There was a small tv and a state of the art soundbar that were both placed on top of a cardboard box marked "MISC".

"Thank you! And congratulations on the move. In fact, I believe I might have something of yours," All Might said as he set the big crate down in the center of the room. Meanwhile, Neon noted that Midoriya had to take in a deep breath before finding the courage to step over the threshold, "This was placed outside your door when we got here."

"That's odd...I thought Koushi sent over everything already," Neon said as she walked over to the crate and stared at the address label that distinctly showed her old home address as the sender.

 _Pouf!_

All Might returned to his thin state and he let out a heavy sigh.

"Make yourself comfortable," Neon said with a gesture to her bed, "I don't have any chairs so the bed will have to suffice."

"Ah! That is quite generous of you but I am fine to keep a standing position!" All Might declared.

"So what brings you guys to my apartment on a nice Saturday afternoon?" Neon asked as she crossed her arms and looked between her two guests.

Midoriya gulped. He approached Neon and then looked to All Might for support. "It's just...Yesterday after school, I happened to overhear Aizawa Sensei tell All Might that you decided to turn down the offer from Edgeshot."

Neon stood up a little straighter. "Yeah. I'm going to work with Graffiti Girl. What of it?"

"Both your Sensei and I agree that this would be a poor decision for you to make...And quite out of character, I might add for you," All Might said.

Neon shrugged. "Maybe you just don't know me well enough then."

"You're doing this for Iida-kun, aren't you?" Midoriya asked quietly, "Since he decided to work in Hosu City with Manual? That's where the incident with his brother happened, right?"

Neon shrugged again and then moved her gaze to the window. "I have my reasons," she muttered.

"I can understand you wanting to keep an eye out on a friend. That is very admirable of you but you shouldn't hurt yourself in the process of it," All Might said.

"Working with Graffiti Girl will hurt me?" Neon asked.

"Not working with Young Edgeshot would be," All Might corrected, "His methods are unorthodox and in all my years, I have rarely seen him work with anyone voluntarily and when he does...When it's up to him, it usually is a great and unexpected partnership. It would be a folly for you to not take this opportunity. He will help you grow in a way no other hero can. Not even me."

"But Iida-"

"Young Iida will be under the care of a licensed hero," All Might said, "And he is also sensible young man himself. You need to have more faith in him, if not Manual."

That struck a nerve and Neon threw her hands out exasperatedly. "I _do_ have faith in Iida-kun. It's the villains that I don't-"

 _Bzzzzt! Bzzzzt!_

" _It's me. It's me."_

Neon sighed. "Sorry, guys. Give me a second," she said as she pulled out her phone from her hoodie pocket and answered it but before she could say a word, her brother's panicked voice came screaming through.

"IS SHE WITH YOU?! Is Akia with you?!" Koushi demanded.

"Whoa! What?! Someone's taken Akia?!" Neon cried which made both All Might and Midoriya straighten up considerably and look at Neon with more alertness than before.

"Yes. I was just informed by her guard but I don't believe this is a kidnapping. I believe she might've snuck out to get to you."

"Why don't you think it's a kidnapping?" Neon snapped, "It's always a kidnapping!"

"Well, since it usually is, I know how to look for the signs," Koushi said, "But there were no signs of struggle or even a ransom note and she had been considerably upset these last few days with you gone. I think she didn't realize just how permanent your situation was until recently."

"But she's _not_ with me," Neon exclaimed, "I would tell you if she-"

She paused when her eyes fell on the crate before her. "Erm…While I have you here...Did you perhaps send me another box of my stuff?"

All Might's jaw dropped while Midoriya's eyes grew three times its normal size when they caught what Neon was getting at.

"Another box?" Koushi asked, "No. I sent you everything already last week. There's nothing left of yours that-"

"That's all I needed to know," Neon sighed, "Yeah...I know where Akia is. Just come over to my place in one hour."

"One hour? If she's with you-" Koushi started to protested.

"Give me an hour!" Neon snapped and then she drew in another breath, "She'll be safe here for the time being. Just...give me one hour...Please. Trust me."

"...Okay. You have one hour," Koushi relented and then hung up the phone.

"Your sister...Your sister is in this crate?!" Midoriya cried out as he and All Might raced towards the crate.

"Stop!" Neon ordered and they froze in their tracks, "This is my home and my situation...Let me deal with it."

Neon tucked her phone back into her hoodie pocket and went over to her open kitchen. She took out a crowbar from under the sink and went over to the crate.

"What?! Why do you even have that?!" Midoriya gasped as Neon wedged the crowbar under the nailed down lid.

"I'm a teenage girl living by myself in one of the biggest cities in Japan. Why do you think I have that?" Neon huffed as she put her full weight on the tool to pry the lid open. As soon as she did, she saw the top of a head of black scurry to the farthest corner of the box under the packing peanuts.

Neon set the lid on the floor, leaned up against the side of the crate with her back turned to it's contents, and casually folded her arms. "You heard what I said to Koushi, Akia," she stated, "You have about 56 more minutes until you have to go home so I suggest you not waste your precious time inside this crate."

There was a rustle behind her and then Midoriya and All Might watched as a rosy cheeked girl with long, black hair emerge from the crate. She bit her lips as her big brown eyes darted quickly across each of their faces before landing at her sister's back. She reached out a small hand and grabbed the hem of Neon's shirt. "I'm...I'm sorry," she said in a faint whisper.

"If you have something to apologize to me for," Neon said evenly, "You will say it to my face and not my back. Come out of the crate."

Neon's eyes went to the two males in the room. "And no help. You got yourself in it, you can get yourself out."

The little girl gulped again and she slowly released her grip on Neon. She moved both her hands to the side of the crate and it took her a couple of attempts to climb over it since the sides went all the way up to her chest. When she finally stood in front of Neon, she had a few packing peanuts stuck in her hair and to her red dress. She clutched her hands in front of her and she looked down at her feet.

"I-I'm sorry, Nee-chan," she whispered again.

"For?" Neon asked.

"For coming here even though I wasn't supposed to...And for causing trouble and worrying everyone."

Neon nodded and put a hand on Akia's head. "Okay. Forgiven."

Akia ran straight forward and hugged Neon tightly around the waist while Midoriya gaped at his classmate. "Th-That's it?"

Neon nodded while she ran a hand down Akia's hair. "I mean, she understood what she did wrong so what else can I do? Besides, Koushi will be here soon and I'd rather not waste time reprimanding her for something she already knows. Plus…"

"Plus?" Midoriya asked.

Neon grinned. "Shipping herself to me is kind of brilliant."

"I thought you'd appreciate it!" Akia exclaimed as she looked up at her sister and they exchanged the same wide smile. Then, when she remembered that they were not alone, Akia's smile grew considerably smaller and she edged herself a little bit closer to Neon. Her eyes darted again to Midoriya and then All Might.

"Akia, it's okay. They're the good guys," Neon said but made no attempt to move Akia away from her. Neon shrugged at her guests, "You have to excuse Akia's hesitancy. You two are the first people she's ever met that isn't blood related or on the family's payroll and she knows not to trust anyone at face value."

"Th-that's completely understandable," Midoriya said as he tentatively stepped forward and bent down to be eye level to the child, "Hi. I'm Izuku Midoriya. I'm a classmate of your sister's."

"I know…I...I saw you on TV," Akia said in a faint whisper as her cheeks turned a bright pink, "It's...it's nice to meet you."

"And this is-" Midoriya started to say and then his whole body broke into a sweat when his eyes connected to the scrawny form of All Might, who had been sweating ever since the lid was pried open, "AH CRAP! WE FORGOT ABOUT-"

"How much did you hear while you were in the crate, Akia?" Neon said as she slapped a hand over Midoriya's mouth to prevent him from spilling more beans than necessary.

"I heard you address someone as All Might and that my crate was being carried up to your door," Akia reported and she peered at the now soaked scrawny blonde at the foot of her sister's bed, "A-Are you really the great hero?"

Midoriya flailed out his arms "N-No! He's just a man who happens to share the same name as-"

"Yes. That's All Might Sensei," Neon said sharply and Midoriya gaped at his classmate, "I've never lied to Akia before and I don't intend to do so now."

"Y-Yes. It's me, Young Nishiyama. You have caught me in a rather peculiar state. Why? Well...that is a long story that I do not want to burden you with," All Might said.

Akia nodded. "Nee-chan always said to never pry into someone's business and to respect their privacy. If they don't want to share, then we shouldn't make them...Unless..."

"Unless?" Midoriya asked.

"Unless it affects our lives or someone very important to us," Akia finished and then looked up at Neon, "Nee-chan...Is that right?"

Neon nodded. "Yes. In this case, we will respect All Might Sensei's need for privacy and keep his secret as well. Akia, when you talk to Koushi later, just say that all you saw was me, Midoriya, and a Sensei from my school, okay? Don't give him any names. Just say a Sensei and if he asks for specifics just shrug and say you talked to me most of the time so you didn't notice the Sensei much."

Akia nodded. "Okay."

"You're teaching your sister to lie?!" Midoriya asked.

"Withholding the truth isn't technically lying," Neon said.

"Thank you, Young Nagano and Young Nishiyama," All Might said as he wiped the sweat off his brow with a towel, "Your discretion is appreciated."

Akia's nose wrinkled up. "Dis-discretion?"

"It means keeping his secret," Neon explained and then lifted Akia up and balanced her sister on her hip with one arm, "Okay. Now that we've got all that settled, there's only one thing left."

"What?" Akia asked.

"Akia," Neon sighed, "I know it must be hard for you that I'm not at home anymore but you can't come to my place every time you want to see me."

Akia bit her lip. "I know...but...but it's hard…"

"I know," Neon said, "I miss you too, Akia."

"Then...why did you leave? Are you mad at me like you are with Father?"

Neon had to catch herself before she dropped Akia in surprise. "What? No! Of course not!'

She lowered both of them to the floor and she held Akia's hands in hers. "It's very complicated and hard for me to explain even to myself but...it's better for me if I didn't live with you guys any more. It has nothing to do with you. Believe me, if I could keep you safe and get my way, I'd have you live with me."

Akia's eyes lit up but Neon cut her off before she could get her hopes up. "But I _can't_ guarantee your safety, Akia. Not now, at least. Father won't allow me to be a hero under his roof so I had to leave. At least, that's the main reason but there are many other reasons why it's better for me here...But...just know this, Akia...No matter where I live or what my name is...I'll always be your Nee-chan. Okay?"

Akia sniffled. "...Okay."

"And if you really, _really_ need to see me, call me and tell me so. Then I'll do everything I can to see you as soon as possible," Neon said, "I can't promise that I'll be there right away but I'll try my very best."

"What will I do in the meantime?" Akia asked, "Who's going to play with me? And read with me? And watch movies?"

"Koushi will do that," Neon said, "He already told me he was going to stay by your side from now on. Your his sister too, you know. Watch movies with him."

"Even the romantic movies?" Akia giggled.

Neon grinned. "Especially the romantic ones."

 _Bzzzzt! Bzzzzt!_

" _It's me. It's me."_

"Ugh...I told him one hour!" Neon groaned as she answered her phone, "Don't tell me you're here already"

"Father found out and it was either come earlier or have your new home get surrounded by the entire police force and god knows which hero," Koushi grunted.

"Of course," Neon groaned, "Alright. I'll bring her down."

"Already?" Akia gasped and Neon shrugged.

"Father's orders," Neon said as she helped Akia to her feet and pushed her towards the door, "You probably gave him more grey hairs with this stunt."

"Is it any worse than the trouble you've caused?" Akia asked as she started to walk.

Neon hesitated a bit as she trailed behind Akia but then she quickly recovered, "No...but I'd rather you not model your life around me."

"Why?"

"Because you're your own person," Neon said, "Don't do something just because I've done it. Make your own choices but be smart about it. "

"Okay."

Neon opened the front door. Akia turned and gave a small nod to the room. "It...It was nice meeting you all and thank you for taking care of Nee-chan."

"Oh! Not at all," Midoriya said while All Might smiled.

"It was nice to meet you too, Young Nishiyama! Have a safe trip home!"

Neon looked over at her classmate and teacher. "I'll be right back. There's soda in the fridge. Help yourselves," she said and then shut the door behind her and Akia.

When Neon returned to her apartment, she was amused to find that Midoriya and All Might were in the same spot she had left them in. She silently went to her fridge and then got a can of soda for herself.

"Y-Your sister...is very nice," Midoriya said as Neon popped the top.

She said nothing as she took a swig.

"Now that I've met your sister," All Might announced, "I understand your circumstances more and am even more convinced that you need to work with Young Edgeshot. Call Eraser Head immediately and tell him you've changed your mind. I bet he's expecting your call. Why? Because he wouldn't tell us about your choices if he didn't think we'd come talk to you about it."

Neon slammed the can down on the kitchen counter. Bubbly but syrupy liquid splashed down over her hand as she glared at her teacher. "You guys meeting Akia changes nothing. If anything, it supports my decision to stay near Iida. You heard her. The kid thinks of me as a role model. What kind of role model would I be if I chose my own personal growth over a friend's life?"

"Yes...But you also taught your sister to respect someone's privacy," All Might said, "And if Young Iida did not confide in you, then you should give him the space he needs."

"But what if that Hero Killer-"

"If the Hero Killer reappears then it is up to us, pro heroes, to handle," All Might said, "If Young Iida is foolish enough to get involved, trust that the pro heroes in the area will be there to get him out of a bind. After all, isn't that the whole point of having pro heroes? To trust them with the public's safety?"

Neon watched a small drop of soda ran down the back of her hand and then disappear into the pool below it. "I…"

"Us, pro heroes, are just as concerned about this Hero Killer, Young Nishiyama. Even more so...Why? Because it's us he's targeting."

"I obviously don't know Iida-kun as well as you do, Neon," Midoriya said slowly, "But I don't think he'd do anything rash...However...if you think he will, maybe I should pass on my internship too and try to find something in Hosu to keep an eye on Iida-kun."

"What?!" Neon spun around so fast that the soda on her hand went flying across the room, "Are you crazy? You only have that _one_ internship offer. You can't put your whole hero career in jeopardy just because Iida-kun _might_ do something stupid! That's-"

She stopped herself short as Midoriya gave her a knowing look.

"Now that you heard it in your own words…" Midoriya said, "Does that change your mind?"

A small grin tugged at the corner of Neon's lips. "Touché…"

"I am worried about Iida-kun too," Midoriya said, "But there are other ways to keep an eye on him than to just be near him. He's in our class group chat and he's usually pretty responsive to any school related questions. Uraraka-san and I already agreed to keep asking questions throughout the week so that he's engaged and focused on hero-work."

"Oh right…The class group chat...I should get in on that now that I can share my phone number," Neon said as she pulled out her phone and tossed it to Midoriya, "Here. Add me and put your contact in there as well."

"Really?!" Midoriya exclaimed, "That's great! Usually it's Iida-kun who answers on your behalf or else guesses what you would say on class discussions."

Neon grimaced. "I don't even want to know what he thinks I'll say...Or what I should say…"

"So you'll call Eraser Head and tell him you've changed your mind, Young Nagano?" All Might asked.

"Yeah..." Neon sighed, "As soon as I make Iida-kun promise me he'll keep me in the loop at all times."

"Excellent!" All Might shouted as he pulled out his phone, "Did you get all that?"

"Ah…." came the tired voice of Neon and Midoriya's homeroom teacher, "I don't know why you bothered to call me. I already accepted Edgeshot's offer on Nagano's behalf as soon as you agreed to pay her a visit. I never even told Graffiti Girl Nagano accepted her offer. It was a stupid and illogical decision in the first place."

"YOU DID WHAT?!" Neon yelled.


	22. Sounds Like an Internship I

**Ch 22 - Sounds Like an Internship I**

"So...here I am…" Neon said as she rocked back and forth on her feet and looked around the stark, empty tatami room that was supposedly the main office of the pro hero Edgeshot, "Reporting for duty...By myself...Alone...In an office…"

Every second that passed, Neon became more and more convinced that she should've stuck with the offer with Graffiti Girl but Midoriya and All Might's interference aside, Tenya had made such a big stink of it she had no choice. He had gone ballistic on her when he found out from his mother that she had called. It was a 25 minute lecture about the trust between friends...and something about boundaries and respect but it had dragged on for so long that Neon got a headache just thinking about it.

She'd like to think that was the main reason why she had taken up on the offer from Edgeshot. To avoid another tyrade from Tenya. She did make both Tenya and his mother promise, though, to call her if anything should come up. Anything at all.

"Hello?" Neon called up to the empty room as she sat herself down on the straw mat and frowned, "Edgeshot?!"

 _Okay. I get that he has no sidekicks but what about office admins? Secretaries? Are there even desks? Where's the phone?_

 _Thwack!_

"Owwwww," Neon moaned when something sharp hit her in the back in the head and knocked her forward, doubling over her feet. She might be in costume but the hit still knocked her helmet against her skull.

"Too slow…"

Neon righted herself up and she glared at the short but muscular hero with gray hair shaped into three sharp points that covered the left side of his face. His dark grey eyes looked at hers with intensity that matched hers over the mask that covered the lower half of his face.

"I didn't realize I was going to get attacked in a top hero's office!" Neon snapped back.

"While you are working here, you will address me as Shishou...And a pro hero needs to always be alert and adaptable to his surroundings. I thought you were cognizant of that or did my eyes deceive me?" he asked stonily, "Were you not the one who found a new use for your Quirk on the spot during the obstacle course?"

Neon blinked. "That's why you drafted me?"

"It's one of the reasons…Now get up. We're going on patrol."

Neon blinked again. "Now?"

"Yes. Were you not aware that a pro hero sometimes gets assigned patroling or scouting duty from time to time?"

"Yeah, I know that but..." Neon said, "A top hero like you can just roam the streets openly?"

"I don't roam," Edgeshot said as he opened a window, "Try and keep up."

 _Whoosh!_

Neon double blinked and her head jerked back as Edgeshot vanished from sight, replaced with a red line that was shooting off into the city.

"What?!" Neon shouted at the re-emptied room, "How am I supposed to keep up with that?!"

She went to the window and she looked down. They were five stories up. Jumping out even with her sound bubbles would be a crazy suicide mission and her bubbles would only get her so far. With Edgeshot's renowned speed and agility, who knows where he's gone to by now?! He's probably off doing heroic deeds already.

Neon's eyes widened when she mulled over that last thought.. She leapt out the window. No bubbles. No Quirk. Just a girl, plummeting to her death.

"AHHHH! HELPPPPPP! I'm going to DIEEEE!" Neon screamed, "Shishouuuuu!"

 _Thud!_

She landed right into the arms of a perturbed Edgeshot, who glared at her before lowering her to the street, where a crowd was starting to gather around them.

"Ha! Caught you!" Neon said with a gleeful smile, "You can play aloof and cool all you want but at the end of the day you are still a hero and you are still going to save people."

She waved to the crowd. "Nothing to see here. Just a hero intern in training!"

"Well played," Edgeshot huffed, "Now go back to the office and try again...Seriously, this time."

"Huh?" Neon said as Edgeshot vanished again and Neon sighed.

She trudged up the five floor walk up and was surprised to find Edgeshot standing in the middle of his barren room already in wait.

"What? Not going to pull the ol' disappearing act again?" Neon asked.

"It's clear you'll need more guidance, from me," he replied.

"Geez, what gave that away?"

He took a long steadying breath. "It seems you do not see the true potential in your Quirk."

"True potential?" Neon asked.

"You are familiar with my abilities?" he asked.

Neon nodded. "You can fold your body like a human origami paper and you can also stretch as well."

"So how do you explain my speed and flight?"

Neon opened her mouth to say something and then she shut it. _How_ do _you explain that?_

"I will not reveal my secret to you as this is about you. Not me. All I can say is to take advantage of everything your Quirk has to offer. Explore every component and utilize it. Be flexible. Just as you had done in the obstacle race."

"Be flexible?"

Edgeshot nodded. "Now...let's try this again. Your goal by the end of this week is to keep up with me on patrol."

He flew out the window once more and Neon bit her lip as he vanished into the city skyline.

 _Take advantage of everything my Quirk has to offer…_

After a moment of contemplation, Neon created several bubbles from music she blasted out of her speakers and then stared at them like a sculptor assessing his work.

She studied her bubbles for what seemed like hours. She circled them, mumbling every little detail to herself to make sure didn't miss out on anything. "Different colors mean different types of sound. Low frequency. High frequency. Voice. Songs. The size is based on how strong the sound is but I can also manipulate the size with my own hands...Is that Edge-Er...Shishou was talking about? No, that can't be it…I know I can manipulate my own voice but that's the only thing that creates sound in my body. Unless, I can turn my whole body into sound...No...That's a bit of a stretch...Even if I'm trying to be flexible I still have to be realistic..."

Neon continued to pace back and forth. Back and forth. She knew at this point, Edgeshot could've circled the city four times given his legendary speed and how long she's taking. If anything, it was just aggravating her even more.

"Okay...Okay...What else? What else? My sound bubbles...They don't pop when they touch each other...I learned that from the obstacle race...Come on. Neon...What else?!...State the obvious. Maybe you're missing something from a basic level...They store sound…Duh...And emit it when they pop...Double duh. They can also house me...So I guess they can house any source of sound as long as it can create sound...Oh! That's a good observation...But what else? Erm...They follow the movement of my hands…"

Neon blinked.

"No...I can't...Can I?" Neon said as she went over to the window but then she looked down again and shook her head. "Nope! That's suicide. Absolute suicide...I'll try something small..."

She took off the speaker in her shoulder and put it in the middle of the room. She pressed a button on her stomach that played an electronic beat through the speaker. She formed a sound bubble around it and then watched as it hovered in the middle of the room.

She stopped the speaker right in front of the opened window.

"Here...goes nothing…" Neon said as she motioned her hand forward and watched as the speaker bubble flew out the window and hovered over the streets. Neon's eyes widened as she ran to the window and leaned her head out as far as she could, "Holy fuck...I can't just move sound…I can move-"

A sudden forceful wind swept over the skies and popped the bubble.

 _Pop!_

" _Boom-kaka-ka-ka-boom. Wub-wub-wub. Boom-kaka-"_

 _Crash!_

"SORRY!" Neon shouted down at the startled pedestrians, who almost got hit over the head with her now broken speaker. She leaned back into her room and she frowned.

"Okay. I can move things _carefully_...But that's not good…," she murmured as her feet began to tap while she thought it out loud, "I need to make sure it's sustainable...and strong...If there was only a way to protect the sound-"

She stilled and closed her eyes. _Oh...my god!_

When she opened it, a triumphant smile spread across her face as she set her last speaker on the ground and did the same thing as the first...but this time, as it floated in midair, Neon snapped her fingers and placed a sound barrier around it.

"Okay...here goes nothing," she said as she moved her hands forward.

The speaker left the window and this time it was swayed by the wind but it stayed intact. Neon moved it to the left. Nothing happened. Then she moved it to the right. Still there.

"YES! Oh my god! YES!" Neon said as she brought it back to the room. She popped both bubbles and then frowned when she heard a faint ringing in her ears, "Okay...So that takes a lot out of me...Noted.."

"Day 1...Fail," Edgeshot said as he returned to the room from the opened window. He handed Neon five different postcards from the landmarks around the city. Each of them were stamped with the current date, "Pity, you missed it. They were having an anniversary celebration at the temple today."

"Are you a hero or a tourist?" Neon snapped back.

 _Thwack!_

Neon's head snapped forward even before she could take a breath from her sentence.

"Stop hitting me!"

"Stop your backtalk. Try again tomorrow. That will be all," Edgeshot said and motioned for the door.

"That's it?!"

"That's it."

"I just got the hang of it! You won't let me stick around a little longer and try-"

"No. Contemplate what you have done today. Meditate on it and digest what you have learned. Use tomorrow to put those lessons into action."

Neon scowled. "Fine…"

"Fine, what?"

"Fine...Shishou…"

* * *

 _Bzzt!_

 _ **Fast But Not Furious:**_ _How was the first day of your internship with the top hero, Edgeshot? Was it as elusive yet inspirational like he is?_

 _ **Me:**_ _Calm down, Iida-kun. He's just a guy who never outgrew his boyhood love of ninjas._

 _ **Fast But Not Furious:**_ _Indeed. Ninjas and shinobis are idealistic heroes for young males during their years of development and growth._

 _ **Me:**_ _Childhood. It's called childhood._

 _ **Me:**_ _How was your first day?_

Neon sighed as she watched Iida text something, then stop, then write again...It took a full minute before she got a "It was productive and beneficial to my growth" as an answer. A bullshit answer, in her opinion.

 _Bzzt! Bzzt! Bzzt!_

Neon opened up her new message and she frowned. She was starting to regret finally putting her mobile number on the class register. Although, making up names for everyone in her contact list was pretty fun.

 _ **A Mighty Fan:**_ _Have you heard from Iida-kun?_

 _ **Me:**_ _Yep...He said his first day was fine._

 _ **A Mighty Fan:**_ _Weird...He never replied to my text._

 _ **Me:**_ _It's because I told him if I don't hear from him every day, I'd quit my internship and hunt him down._

 _ **A Mighty Fan:**_ _Amazing…I believe you would too._

 _ **Me:**_ _Of course, I would and I still can._

 _ **A Mighty Fan:**_ _I think he just doesn't want to burden any of us._

 _ **Me:**_ _Sure, take his side. I'm sure O would agree with me. How is she, by the way?_

 _ **A Mighty Fan:**_ _I don't know. I haven't spoken to her since school._

 _ **Me:**_ _Then call her and ask!_

 _ **A Mighty Fan:**_ _WHAAAAAAT?! I can't do that!_

 _ **Me:**_ _She's a girl, not a villain. Just call and ask._

 _ **A Mighty Fan:**_ _She might be busy with her internship. I don't want to disturb her._

 _ **Me:**_ _For the potential next Symbol of Peace, you sure as hell don't have backbone when it comes to girls._

 _ **A Mighty Fan:**_ … _.I know….I'll work on it._

Neon rolled her eyes. His defeatist attitude will not get him anywhere...Especially with Ochaco.

 _Bzzt!_

Neon sat up on her mattress when she saw the sender of this new text.

 _ **Cool Hair:**_ _How was your 1st day? What is Edgeshot like?_

"Why are you texting me?" Neon asked out loud but instead she responded differently.

 _ **Me:**_ _Surprising...For both the internship and Edgeshot. You?_

 _ **Cool Hair:**_ _Not surprising…_

 _ **Me:**_ _That tells me nothing._

 _ **Cool Hair:**_ _Same to you._

Neon snorted.

 _ **Me:**_ _Okay fine. Everything about E is secretive and mysterious. Even the way he talks. I was pretty much lost and confused most of my first day._

 _ **Cool Hair:**_ _That's good. I don't see you get confused often. It must mean he's challenging you._

 _ **Me:.**_ _..I guess. Okay. Your turn._

 _ **Cool Hair:**_ _My internship with my old man was all about my old man._

Neon sighed. She wondered why he would go back into the lions den if he was still bearing scars from it but she wasn't going to voice that to him. He must have his own reasons.

 _ **Me:**_ _Well...You're only there for a week._

 _ **Cool Hair:**_ _Yeah...And I'm gaining a lot of experience just by watching him work. He's not the #2 hero for nothing._

"Oooh," Neon said out loud as she leaned back on her mattress, "You're going there to see how the #2 hero works...Not how your dad works...That's good...That's good…"

 _ **Me:**_ _Glad to hear that you can peacefully coexist with him._

 _ **Cool Hair:**_ _Yeah...DGAF, right?_

Even if this wasn't the first time she heard it from him, it still made her smile.

 _ **Me:**_ _Yep. Stay strong._

 _Bzzt. Bzzt._

" _Nee-chan? Nee-chan? Nee-chan?"_

 _ **Me:**_ _Hey. My sister's calling. I'll ttyl._

 _ **Cool Hair:**_ _Night._

 _ **Me:**_ _Night._

* * *

On the second day, Neon returned to her internship ready and eager to test out her new Quirk utilization. Edgeshot left for patrol almost as soon as she stepped foot in his office so she knew she could not waste any time to figure this out. He was not going to take it easy on her and that was okay. Todoroki was right. She needed to be challenged this way.

She played music from her shoulder speaker and created a sound bubble around her. When it was big enough to hold her in a seated position, she created a sound barrier as a second layer. She then closed her eyes and concentrated on her hands. She moved them up slowly.

The bubble floated upwards ever so slightly. Neon was being cautions and she wanted to test just how sensitive the motions were to her hands. She made sure to connect the bubble to the ceiling, just to test if it would break. She grinned when the bubble remained intact and she moved it back down to the ground again.

 _Touchdown!_

She then looked to the window and frowned. There was no way she could get this entire bubble out the window. It was too wide.

 _So...how the hell do I get outside?!_

Neon winced internally when she realized the only way to do so is to form the bubble on the other side of the window. She had to jump out and make the bubble quick enough before she splattered on the concrete below.

 _So it's not just about protection...It's also about speed…_

 _Pop!_

 _Wikka-wow-wikka-wow-wikka-wikka-woooowwww._

She released both sound bubbles and went back to square one. Testing it on her speakers. She kept music playing constantly and tried to create a double bubble as fast as she could in rhythmic succession because she had to learn how to do it quickly and to form exactly when she needed it to.

With every down beat she snapped her fingers. At first, the bubbles came out every other down beat but slowly, she got the hang of it. After an hour of finger snapping, she managed to get at least one bubble to form on every down beat.

It took another hour to get both types of bubbles to form and by that time, her finger tips were bruised and she didn't know if she ever wanted to hear that snapping sound again.

"Lunch?"

Neon jumped to her feet and her protective barrier formed instantly around her. Her heart pounded in her chest as she stared at Edgeshot over the fists that she balled up next to her face. She took a deep breath and then dropped her hands and the barrier. "God! Shishou! You scared me!"

He nodded. "At least, you had a good enough reaction. Now...Have you eaten yet?"

"Of course not. There's no food here," Neon said.

"Go get lunch and then come back," he said, "I don't want people to accuse me of child brutality."

"On the first day, you forced me to jump out a window," Neon stated.

"You did that on your own accord," he countered.

Neon frowned. "Fine. I'll grab lunch and I'll be back in 30 minutes...How was patrol, by the way? Where'd you go this time? London? Paris?"

"I didn't go on patrol," he said, "I was assigned a case. That has been taken care of now. I'm going on patrol after you come back from lunch."

"What?! You went on a case without me?!" Neon asked.

"You can't keep up with me on a standard patrol. What makes you think I'll take you with me on assignment? You will only be a burden."

"Why did you even draft me then if I'm only dragging you down?!"

"Because you showed potential. You might not be ready now but you can be ready in the near future."

"Ready for what? You've never had a sidekick or even an alliance with any other hero."

Edgeshot sighed. "You'll see."

"Ugh! Enough with the mystery," Neon groaned, "Just be straight forward for once, Shishou!"

Edgeshot cleared his throat. "There...has been rumblings of a major change coming...I do not wish to alarm you by speaking of these rumors...I will just say that there will most likely be a time when heroes will have to band together. Very powerful heroes...And I wish to make sure that the ones at my side are at their best."

 _Does he know about All Might?_!

Neon gulped and she searched for what to say next. "So...so...banding together...Why not just team up with pro heroes? Why train me?"

"I am already considering finding allies for the time being," Edgeshot admitted, "This internship...is more of a plan for the long run. To...ensure the future will be in the right hands."

"And you think my hands are the right ones?"

Edgeshot cleared his throat again. "What I saw at the sports festival was a quick thinking mind with a moral compass that is not easily swayed. Two things that cannot be taught but is essential in hero work. That is why I offered you this spot. You have potential so I hope you don't waste it."

"Oh...," Neon said and then broke into a giant grin "See? Wasn't explaining something that hard?"

Edgeshot remained stoically silent and Neon nudged him with her elbow.

"Come onnnn. Admit it! It's good sometimes to be clear cut, Shishou!"

"Go. To. Lunch," he stated with every word like it's a punctuation.

Neon laughed through her teeth. "Shishishishi. Okay. I'll see you in a bit! Want me to grab something back for you or do you run on dew water and shadows like in those ninja stories?"

"Just go."

Neon looked down and she frowned. "But I've only got on my costume. Can't I order delivery or something? I can't eat out in public like this!"

"I don't like the smell of food lingering in my office."

"You don't like _anything_ lingering in your office."

"Yes. I'm glad you're now understanding my ways."

"I don't really but to each their own," Neon said with a shrug as she went to the door, "Fine. Okay. I'll see you in a bit. Bye, Shishou."


	23. Sounds Like an Internship II

**Ch 23 - Sounds LIke an Internship II**

Neon made it a point to return to the office smelling like well-marinated meats, soy sauce, and smoke. She had a burger from a fast food chain but she purposefully ate it while standing inside a barbecue restaurant just so that the smell can sink into her every pore. Of course, Edgeshot wasn't there when she returned but she couldn't wait for him to return just to see his reaction.

Part of her wondered if his mask would drop and she could see the other half of his face. The mask must be for aesthetic reasons but she couldn't help imagining that the enigmatic Edgeshot was hiding the fact that he had fish roe lips or buckteeth.

She snorted as she resumed her training.

"Okay...Form!" she said and then sighed when her Double Bubble only formed around her head.

 _Okay. Not big enough...Maybe if I make a bigger sound…?_

She released her bubbles and tried again.

"Ah!" she yelled but her Double Bubble still only went just below her chin.

She laid flat on her back while she wracked her brain. Inflating her bubble with sound would take up too much time. She needed to be able to do it instantaneously and on the fly. How the hell was she supposed to make a big enough bubble?"

"Come on...Be flexible, Neon…" she muttered to herself, "Think of an alternate route...The problem is size, right? So...If I can't adjust the size...or the timing of it...I need to think about what I _can_ adjust-"

She sat up. "No...not adjust...MOVE!...I can move the placement!"

She stomped her feet and snapped her fingers, using the sound of her feet hitting the ground as the sound source to form Double Bubbles around her feet. Then she moved her hands up slowly.

"YES! I'm FLOATING!" she squealed when she started to hover up over the tatami mat.

Then realization dawned on her and she set herself back down.

"But I can't stomp my feet in the sky...There's no sound when I kick air…" she grumbled, "Okay...I'll ask for speakers on the bottom of my feet from the costume team next time but...What can I do now? If not my feet...then..."

She looked down at her hands and she tilted her head.

 _Snap!_

The formation of her bubbles combined with the sound of her fingers created a Double Bubble around her fists faster than any of the bubbles she's formed thus far.

"Okay...let's see if I can move the thing that moves them…" she gulped as she gingerly lifted her arms over her head and watched herself get pulled up to the ceiling.

"Dang!" Neon grinned, "This is like..a superhero flying pose! I'm going to need a cape!...Actually, naw. That's stupid, Neon. Get your head in the game!"

She went over to the window, opened it, and she looked out into the city. "Okay...Let's hope I don't die…SHISHOU, IF YOU CAN HEAR THIS, YOU BETTER CATCH ME IF I FALL!" she yelled as she walked backwards until she was at the farthest end of the room and then charged towards the window.

"Superhero pose!" she yelled as she thrust one fist in the air and kept her other hand close to her side. The momentum of her leap followed by the motion of her hands sent her soaring right out the window and through the open skies.

"HOLY FUCK!" Neon yelled as she saw the city streets whiz past below her. She was so happy that she had asked for a helmet in her costume, protecting her eyes and ears from the wind. She didn't think she'd use it for this so that was fortunate, "I'm doing it! I'm doing it! I'm flying! I'm...crap...How do I land?!"

She was jetting through the skies and the further away she was getting from Edgeshot's office, which was at the busiest part of the ward, the lower the buildings got and soon she was sailing over a large park with nothing but trees below.

"Uh...Uh...Shit! I'm such an idiot! Okay. I gotta stop this...NOW!" Neon ordered herself and she thrust her arms outwards and to the side, like she was balancing on an invisible tightrope. Immediately, she stilled and she let out a sigh of relief, "Okay...Navigation is going to need some work and I might have gone overboard with my initial launch...Slowly, next time, Neon. SLOWLY...Okay...now let's go down...carefully…"

She carefully lowered her hands to her sides at a steady pace and moved herself through the canopy of trees, trying to avoid as many branches and leaves as possible and then she let out a huge sigh of relief when her boots touched soft grass.

"Not bad…" Edgeshot said as he appeared behind her and leaned against a tree trunk, "Not great...But not bad for two days work."

Neon grinned. "How long did it take you to figure out the trick to your Quirk?"

"About the same time," Edgeshot said, "But I actually learned that in my second year in the hero course...Not my internship."

Neon beamed. "So I'm ahead of the game."

"For now…" he said, "Now...go home. You're done for the day."

"What?!" Neon asked, "The sun hasn't even set yet. I've still got like 2 or 3 hrs left. Are you trying to cheat me out of hero experience?"

"You've been using your Quirk consistently since this morning. I do not want you to get overextended...especially so early on in our week together," Edgeshot said.

Neon frowned. He had a point. She wasn't hearing any ringing yet but she knew she was dancing near the edge.

"I'll take your silence as acceptance," Edgeshot said, "So I'll see you tomorrow."

"Actually...if it's possible...since I have time," Neon said sheepishly, "Could you give me permission to go to Hosu?"

"Permission?"

Neon scratched the back of her head. "I need to tell my social worker if anything changes in my schedule and since you're giving me the rest of the day off...I might just go to Hosu to see some family and friends."

He studied her solemnly and then he nodded. "Okay. We will go together."

Neon blinked. "We?"

"Hosu is the last place where that Hero Killer, Stain, last attacked, yes?" Edgeshot said as he brushed past her and started to walk away, "I have been requested to go take a look anyways so I might as well go today...Besides if you were to come across him, I do not want you to do something stupid…"

"Like die?" Neon asked as she ran after him.

"Like attack…" he finished, "Ingenium's brother is your classmate, isn't he?"

"I'm not going to attack. I'm just going to prevent _him_ from going after- Crap…I said too much, didn't I?"

Edgeshot recognized that he had won this argument but he still continued. "You are my responsibility, at least for this week...Unless you want to just go home and forget about Hosu for today?"

"No...I still want to go…" Neon said, "I am worried about my friend…"

* * *

By the time Neon and Edgshot arrived in Hosu CIty, the sun was beginning to set.

 _Why isn't he responding?,_ Neon thought as she scowled down at her phone.

"So where is your friend?" Edgeshot said with his head lowered. He and Neon had changed to their civilian clothes as not to draw attention to themselves but Neon could not fathom why the pro hero thought a full black shinobi attire qualified as casual. He was drawing stares from pedestrians and some of his more serious fans had already tried to approach him for an autograph...but then he would just slip away and return a few minutes later at another corner of the street.

Neon would find it amusing but her attention was completely on her phone. She, herself, chose to wear a thick black hoodie over light jeans and white sneakers. Her hair was tied back in a stubby ponytail while her headphones hung around her neck.

"I texted him and told him I was in town...He should be done with his internship by now…" Neon looked up at the sky, which had started to turn a dark purple, "Something's not right, Shishou."

 _Kaboom!_

Edgeshot and Neon whirled around to the sound as thick smoke rose up from somewhere down the street while a crowd of people started to scream and rush towards them.

"Stay here, Neon! And don't move until I get back," Edgeshot ordered.

"B-but I-" Neon started to say.

"You are not ready yet," Edgeshot said as he threw out his arm to stop her from moving any further, "Once I assess the situation, if I should need your assistance, I will come get you. Understood?"

Neon clenched her jaw and nodded. "Yes, Shishou."

Edgeshot darted off in the direction of the explosion and as soon as he was out of sight, Neon ran off. Hosu City was usually pretty quiet so any incident would be alarming let alone this attack and Stain's. It couldn't be a coincidence. Stain must be here and Tenya must be out looking for him.

 _Please don't do anything stupid,_ Neon thought as she ducked into an alleyway. She would try to use her newly discovered skill but she'd rather avoid accidentally smashing into the building. Or worse, taking herself out before doing anything. _Okay...Think! Neon. What did you hear on the news report? What do you know about Stain?_

As she raced from one alleyway into another, her mind went through news reports like someone swiftly switching radio channels.

" _The police investigation has shown that 60% of the hero killer's victims were found in places without many people."_

 _Yes! Right...and since he attacks pro heroes, it has to be somewhat near hero agencies…._

Neon's eyes widened. Hosu was the city closest to her previous house so this was a very familiar territory and she knew exactly where to start searching first. She rounded the corner and started sprinting to the nearest hero agency.

"Damn it!" Neon shouted when she scoured the area of the first agency and found nothing.

"Fuck!" she yelled when the same thing happened at the second agency.

"Oh. Mother-," she started to say when she went to the third one but then stopped when she heard a familiar voice from around the corner.

"THIS DOES NOT CONCERN YOU!"

 _Tenya!_

Neon ran towards the voices.

"What are you saying?"

 _MIdoriya?! Damn. Of course, that guy is here too._

"Your friend came to save you…but...sorry, 'friend'...I have a duty to kill him. If we clash, of course the weaker will be culled. Now...what will you do?"

Neon froze at the sound of the husky and low growl but she only hesitated for a second. She pushed away any fear and worry she had and just ran forward. Tenya's life was at stake. Fears be damned.

She turned the corner, spotting her two friends and a man a little further in the alleyway with red fabric wrapped around his neck and face and jagged blades in hand. Neon's eyes narrowed at the pool of blood below Tenya's chest. Then she noticed a man in a feathered bandana and leather pants slumped near Stain. She realized that was the pro hero, Native, who's agency was just around the corner.

"Midoriya! Iida-kun! SAY SOMETHING!" Neon yelled, "'Make a noise!"

"NEON?!"

"NEON-SAN?!"

Immediately, two Double Bubbles formed over both Tenya and Midoriya. She yanked her hands back. The bubbles flew over to her and hovered just behind her.

"Neon-san?!" Tenya gasped while Midoriya quickly popped his bubble and landed on his feet.

"Look what we have here...Another friend to save the day?" Stain sneered, "Sorry...It's a fine sentiment but...I will not show any mercy."

"Stop it! Run away!" Tenya shouted from his bubble, enlarging it slightly, "This is not your fight!"

"You think I came to fight?!" Neon snapped, "I came here to save you, you idiot!"

"This has nothing to do with either of you!" Tenya cried.

"If you say stuff like that, then heroes can't do anything!" Midoriya retorted, "There are a lot of things I'd like to say right now but I'll save them for later...It's like what All Might said...Meddling when you don't need to is the essence of being a hero."

"Midoriya," Neon said as her eyes ran over the scene, "I can't grab Native if he's not making a sound...But I can pull Tenya if you hold back Stain."

"Ah," Midoriya said as Stain licked his lips. In a flash of green, Midoriya leapt forward while Neon forced Tenya further from harm.

"Like I'd let you," Stain said as he tried to cut through MIdoriya to get to Neon but suddenly the boy was up in the air, away from the hero killer's blade.

"Five percent Detroit Smash!" Midoriya cried as his fist collided with Stain's skull, knocking him to the ground.

"Yeah!" Neon shouted and flung her hands high up in the air, partially to cheer but also to move Tenya further back behind her.

"NEON-SAN! STOP!" Tenya cried, "Run!"

 _Sluuurp!_

"Ahhh!" Midoriya gasped as he shakily held his position on the ground.

"What?!" Neon asked as Stain got to his feet with his blade in front of his open mouth. He ambled over towards her with his blades rattling with every step. Neon put her arms out protectively and the bubbles moved even further back.

She locked eyes with the stone cold killer and a chill went down her spine and locked her feet in place. The menace and bloodlust exuding from him was nothing she had experienced before. Not from her kidnappers, who only wanted money. Not even from the villains at USJ, who only wanted to bring down All Might and cause havoc. No...Stain...Stain was out for blood.

"M-Midoriya...Get up…" Neon rasped hoarsely as Stain stalked closer...and closer, "Why aren't you moving?"

"I-I can't...," Midoriya grunted as he struggled to get back on his feet, "Don't let him cut you or get your blood...Or you'll get caught too!"

"Your friend wasn't powerful enough…" Stain chuckled at Neon, "People who are all talk are a dime a dozen...but at least he's worth letting go...I'll let him live...As for you…I haven't decided yet...But no worries...I'll figure it out when I get to you."

"Neon! RUN!" Midoriya yelled, "Take Iida-kun and run!"

With every step that echoed through the alleyway, the more Neon trembled.

"NEON-SAN!" Tenya cried, "Get out of here!"

Neon felt like she was a child again, locked up in a cold, dark room...Waiting for someone to rescue her. But then, that same image brought her senses back to her. She had rescued herself before out of those dangerous situations...She can do it again.

 _Snap!_

"What?" Stain grunted when he found his feet caught in a Double Bubble. Neon had used the sound of his footsteps to trap him.

"What goes up…" Neon said and flung her hand up to the air, rocketing the hero killer up to the sky feet first, "Must come-"

 _Shing! Thud!_

Stain waved his sword upwards, expertly cutting through the bubbles without slicing off any part of his body. He backflipped in the air and landed perfectly on his feet.

"So you've decided to attack...That makes my decision easier too," he said as he ran towards Neon with his blades.

 _Snap!_

" _Drop the beat now! Wub-wub-wub-wub-skreeee-skreeee-wub-wub-wub-wub-wub!"_

Neon yanked out her shoulder speaker she had in her hoodie pocket and hit the play button while holding a finger towards the speaker, amplifying the sound. Simultaneously, a sound barrier formed that was big enough to envelope but Midoriya and Native.

"Gaaahhhhh!" Stain shouted as he covered his ears with his hands and dug his feet into the ground to avoid getting pushed back from the trembling techno bass.

Neon blanched. She had hoped that it would make him at least drop his swords but he was too much of an expert and was able to cover his ears without doing so.

 _Now what is she going to do?_

"RAAAAAAHHH!" Stain screamed as he powered through the sound and jumped into the air with his blade swinging.

Neon dropped her speaker and pivoted on her foot to avoid getting sliced. She got low on the ground and then swept her leg to kick Stain down but he jumped away.

"Die," he snarled as he drew back his sword.

"STOP IT!" Midoriya screamed.

"NEON-SAN!" Tenya cried.

 _Fwwooooom!_

Suddenly, a fiery blaze shot out through the space between Stain and Neon, causing the hero killer to jump back, distancing himself from Neon by several feet.

"Tch...One after another…" Stain seethed, "There are a lot of people getting in my way today."

"Midoriya...You need to give more details in times like this…"

Todoroki's voice reached Neon before she saw him destroy the shadows of the alleyway with the blaze coming from his left side. In his right hand, he held out his phone. He had a map on the screen with a dropped pin but no other information.

"You made me late…" he said as he put his phone in his pocket and helped Neon to her feet while his left hand continued to exude bright flames. The whole time, he never broke eye contact with the hero killer.

"T-Todoroki-kun, you too?" Tenya gasped.

"Midoriya texted you?" Neon asked.

"Text is a strong word...Since all the information he gave was the location," Todoroki said, "But I figured Midoriya's not the type to send texts for no reason...Get back, Neon."

"Huh?"

Todoroki pulled her behind him and then stomped his foot on the ground, shooting ice down the alleyway and freezing it entirely. Stain leapt into the air to avoid getting frozen and the ice pushed Midoriya and Native upwards at an angle.

"You meant that you were in trouble and to call for help, right?" Todoroki asked Midoriya as he shot a fireball out at Stain to keep him away while Midoriya and Native slid down the ice ramp towards him and Neon, "Don't worry. The pro's will get here soon."

"Gotcha!" Neon said, catching Midoriya's limp body at the base of the ramp while Native slid past her and right into Tenya, popping Tenya's bubble, "Whoops. Sorry. I only could catch one."

"Todoroki-kun! You can't let this guy get your blood. Once he ingests it, his target won't be able to move. That's how he got most of us!" Midoriya warned.

"That's why he uses blades, huh?" Todoroki asked as he bent his knees and lifted his hands, "I'll keep my distance and-"

 _Shing!_

"Todoroki!" Neon cried as a deep gash formed on Todoroki's cheek from Stain's flying dagger.

"You have good friends, Ingenium!" Stain stated as he leapt towards his target with another dagger in hand.

 _Clank! Shing!_

Todoroki formed an ice shield from the ground and it stopped the blade from hitting him in the side. They looked up and saw Stain's blade twisting above their heads and about to fall down.

 _Snap!_

Neon immediately formed a sound bubble around the blade as it was still emitting noise and then sent it flying off into the distance, relieving Hero Killer from one of his weapons.

"Nice! Ne-" Todoroki started to say.

"WATCH OUT!"

Todoroki looked back just in time to see Stain's long tongue curling towards his cheek.

 _Fwooom!_

Todoroki forced Stain back again with his fire and then put a wall of ice in between them for good measure.

"Too close!" Todoroki gasped as Stain used his remaining sword to slice the top off of the ice wall but then Todoroki stomped his feet and sent glacial spikes towards the hero killer, forcing him back once more, "He's strong."

"P-Please stop," Tenya grunted, "Why...Why are you guys...I've inherited my brother's name...I have to do it...I have to-"

"Iida-kun," Neon said as she kept her eyes on Stain just in case Todoroki couldn't hold him back, "I couldn't hear what you said after our match...but I have a hunch. If I'm right, all I want to say is...Likewise."

Tenya's eyes widened.

* * *

 _-Flashback - Right After the Match, In the Entryway at the Stadium-_

"What do you mean withdraw?! Was that your family, Neon-san? Are they forcing you to leave this school?!" Tenya demanded as he marched towards his friend after hearing such a preposterous phone call. The pieces of the puzzle were starting to come together. This was the reason why she had thrown herself in this match. She had given it her all and was driven to the point of tears. Tears that he had rarely seen her shed. It was all because she had put her future on the line...Because she was forced to...And she had just given it all up, "What were you thinking?! You could've kept going in the tournament! Why didn't you beat me when you had the chance?!"

"Stop. I can't hear you," she said simply but he could tell she was shaken.

Her skin was pale and her usually sure and confident voice was uncharacteristically soft and hesitant.

His feet moved before he realized what he was doing but when he got to her, he did not hesitate. He wrapped his arms around her to provide some sort of security and support.

"I may not agree with your decision but whatever happens...Just know. You are not alone to face the consequences...I'm right here."


	24. Sounds Like an Internship III

**Ch 24 - Sounds Like an Internship III**

"NEON!" Todoroki and Midoriya cried as a dagger lodged deeply in Neon's leg, causing her to drop to her knees. The hand she was about to raise to move Tenya and Native to safety instinctively went to her grab at her leg.

Now that Tenya and Native were close enough together, she was able to just form one giant bubble around the two, using Tenya as the source of sound.

"Like I'd let you try that again…" Stain snarled as the broken bits of Todoroki's ice wall fell to the ground, clearing a line of sight between him and the heroes in training.

"It's fine," Neon said through gritted teeth as the fabric of her jeans started to get warm and heavy from her blood.

"Get back!" Todoroki shouted as he shot out another streak of fire at Stain but then the fire extinguished in an instant as a dagger embedded into his arm as well, "Ah!"

"Todoroki!" Neon cried.

"Like I said...This is getting repetitive," Stain laughed as he jumped up and over the ice wall, "But...you're pretty good...I'll give you that…"

 _Thwack!_

Suddenly, Midoriya appeared up in the air with Stain. He clotheslined Stain with his arm and knocked the hero killer back.

"I don't know why but I can move now!" Midoriya shouted as he continued to push Stain away from his friends.

"A time limit?" Todoroki asked.

"No…," Native gasped, "He was the last one Stain got. I can't move yet."

When Midoriya landed on the ground with Stain, Todoroki hurriedly stamped his foot. "Midoriya! Get back!"

The green haired boy jumped back as Todoroki sent another icy blast towards Stain.

"If he takes in a person's blood to keep them from moving, the only varying factors are volume...and blood type," Neon reasoned as she hobbled to her feet and balanced on her good leg.

"Blood type?" Native asked, "Mine's B."

"I'm A…" Tenya said.

"I'm O," Midoriya said

"Ah…" Stain said with a nod of his head, "Different blood types have different durations…"

"Just knowing about his Quirk isn't enough though," Neon said as she limped to stand in between Tenya and Native, "He's fast and doesn't need to hold us down to do damage with his blades. With you two, we should be able to hold him back enough for me to take Iida-kun and Native to safety and wait for the pros to get here in time."

"Ah…" Todoroki agreed, "As much as I'd like to retreat as well, he's too fast. It would have to take both me and Midoriya to keep him at bay. Our best option is to hold on by avoiding close combat until the pros get here."

"Todoroki-kun, you've already lost a lot of blood," Midoriya said, "So I'll distract him and you support me from behind. While he's focused on me, Neon, make your move."

"The risk is high...but we have no other choice," Todoroki said, "Let's do it. The three of us will protect them!"

"Two against one with a retrieval, huh?" Stain stated and got a bit lower to the ground, "It won't be easy."

Midoriya ran towards the hero killer, flashing from one end of the alleyway to another in sparking green light. As they withdrew from every clash, Todoroki sent ice and fire towards Stain.

"Neon. Now!" Todoroki shouted.

Neon formed her Double Bubble over herself and then played a song over her phone, amplifying it enough to grow the bubble until it covered Tenya and Native as well.

" _Buy it, use it, break it, fix it/Trash it, change it, mail, upgrade it/Charge it, point it, zoom it, press it/Snap it, work it, quick, erase it"_

"Sorry...The shuffle setting's on…" Neon murmured as the music played.

"S..Stop…" Tenya rasped as he watched his friends fight so hard in front of him, "P-Please stop...I'm already…"

"If you want us to stop, then stand up instead of talking about it!" Todoroki bellowed, "Get a grip. Look properly at what you want to be and do something about it!"

"NEON! TO YOUR RIGHT!" Midoriya shouted as Stain appeared around the ice wall with his blade in hand.

Neon pulled back her hands and moved her, Native, and Tenya to the end of the alleyway as Todoroki shot fire out to stop Stain from pursuing her.

"Stop...Neon. I-"

Neon glared at her friend. "STOP TELLING US TO-"

Her eyes widened as she watched Tenya struggle to his feet. "If...If I don't stand now, I'll never, ever be able to catch up to Nii-san...or you guys!"

"Recipro-...BURST!"

 _Pop!  
_

" _Buy it, use it, break it, fix it/Trash it, change it, mail, upgrade it/Charge it, point it, zoom it, press it/Snap it, work it, quick, erase it"_

In a blink of an eye, Tenya burst through the bubble and raced to Stain. He kicked the blade in half just as it was about to cut into Todoroki's chest. Without missing a beat, Tenya whirled around and used his other foot to kick Stain back.

"Iida-kun!" Midoriya shouted with relief.

"This has nothing to do with you three and I sincerely apologize for dragging you into tis," Tenya said, "That's why I can't allow you all to bleed more than this."

"It's no use trying to be reformed for appearance's sake," Stain condemned, "A person's essence does not change so easily."

"Who made you Jury and Executioner?" Neon shot back, "If a person can be moved to tears by a song, they can be moved to change by their friends."

"He will never be anything but a fake who prioritizes his own selfish desires! He is a cancer to society that warps the ideas of 'heroes'!" Stain shouted, "Someone needs to set him straight."

"You're an anachronistic fundamentalist," Todoroki said, "Iida...Don't listen to the logic of a murderer."

Iida shook his head. "No...he's right. I have no right to call myself a hero...Even so...I cannot give in. If I give in, then Ingenium will die."

"What nonsense," Stain spat as he charged again. This time, his movement was not as straightforward. It was erratic and almost frantic as he jumped from wall to wall of the neighboring buildings to find an opening.

Todoroki pushed Tenya back and sent another wave of fire at the hero killer. The light of the flames spread to the skies and the heat warmed Neon's skin.

"Idiot...the hero killer is after me and the kid in the white armor, right?" Native asked, "Don't fight back. You kids need to run away!"

"He won't let us get away," Neon said as she eyed the his movements, "He's..getting flustered. He's even more dangerous than before...Running away is not an option anymore."

She brought out her phone and then encased the sound in a Double Bubble and then amplified it until it was as wide as the alleyway. She then moved it forward, phone and all, swiftly into Todoroki's flame.

 _Pop!_

" _TECHNOLOGIC! TECHNOLOGIC! TECHNOLOGIC! TECHNOLOGIC!"_

Stain was sent crashing into the wall at the farthest end of the alleyway as the soundwave broke the windows around them and scattered down on the pavement. The fires were extinguished while the ice wall cracked and crumbled. The heroes were all encased in their own sound barrier however and they all turned to cast a quick look at Neon, who had her hand out in front of her.

"I bought you some time...to cool down, right? Iida-kun?" Neon gasped as the pain in her leg took over and her knee gave out.

She watched through her pained expression as an enraged Stain screamed at them and then charged once more in an aerial assault. Tenya shouted something at Todoroki that made him reach out and grab Tenya's calf. Ice sprouted out over his leg plate but it kept his engine pipes exposed.

Suddenly, from opposite ends of the alleyway, Tenya and Midoriya shot up to the sky. Midoriya's green emblazoned fist pounded hard into Stain's jaw while Tenya's leg struck directly in Stain's ribs. Without missing a beat, Todoroki took advantage of this opportunity and lit his hand on fire.

Stain came to his senses at that moment and he reached for his broken blade, slicing forward and cutting another nasty gash into Tenya's arm but the boy was not phased. He powered up his leg once more and kicked Stain right in his lower back and as Stain lifted up into the air from the blow, he was engulfed by Todoroki's flame.

 _Snap! Snap!_

Two double bubbles shrouded around Tenya and Midoriya and brought them gently back down to the ground while Todoroki formed an ice pillar that trapped Stain. The Hero Killer dangled limply at the top while Neon slowly dragged herself towards her friends.

"He's...probably knocked out after all that, right?" Midoriya asked.

"Then, let's restrain him and get out to the street, " Todoroki said.

"TAKE HIS WEAPONS TOO!"

Midoriya and Todoroki jumped at the sudden shouting and Neon smiled apologetically. "SORRY! THE RINGING-...The ringing in my ear is a bit loud. Can't calibrate my volume...Is this better?"

With still widened eyes, Midoriya and Todoroki gave a bewildered nod in unison.

Despite their individual wounds and the given circumstances, that caused the three of them to share a laugh while Tenya looked at them wordlessly.

The laughter suddenly died from the two boys as they gaped at something just behind Neon. She felt a tap on her shoulder and when she turned around her heart dropped to her chest.

"Shi...Shishou…" she whispered meekly, "Fancy seeing you here…"

Edgeshot glared right into his intern's soul. "I thought I told you to-"

She pointed to her ear. "Sorry...I can't hear you that well but...I promise, I'll take whatever punishment you have tomorrow and listen to everything you have to say. I just can't do it now."

It took him a beat before he spoke and when he did, she could see that vein in his temple twitched with every word.

"Native, can you move?" he asked with his eyes still staring daggers into his intern's, who had the decency to look extremely guilty.

"Y-Yeah. I think I'm okay now. Thanks, Edgeshot-san," Native said as he slowly got to his feet.

"Here...Bind him with this," Edgeshot said as he handed a long coiled rope to Todoroki.

"Thanks," Todoroki said as he lowered his ice pillar. He and Tenya began to remove the weapons from Stain until there were an astounding amount of blades stacked neatly together by size.

"How many did he have?!" Neon gasped.

 _Thwack!_

"He wasn't called Hero Killer for nothing," Edgeshot said and gave Neon another smack on the back of the head, "That's why I told you to stay put!"

Tenya got to his feet and he bowed. "I am sorry. I am the cause for this-"

"Whatever the reason, it doesn't matter to me. I'll leave any disciplinary action to your supervisor," Edgeshot said as his eyes trailed over each student, "...And that goes for you two, as well."

It was amazing that despite being almost eye level to Todoroki, the pro hero still managed to emit an undisputed authoritative aura that made all of them gulp, even Native.

"Your leg is injured, yes?" Native asked Midoriya, who had gotten stabbed in the leg by one of Stain's blades, "I can carry you. Sorry...Even though I'm a pro, I still had to get saved."

"No...I don't think you could've done anything one-on-one with the hero killer's Quirk," Midoriya said.

Edgeshot went over to the pile of blades and gathered it all into a cloth sack. He tied it up in a bundle and carried it over his shoulder.

"What was his Quirk?" Edgeshot asked and Neon grinned.

"Intrigued, Shishou?"

Edgeshot looked at Neon from the corner of his eye as they left the alleyway with Native and Midoriya in the front and Todoroki and Tenya in the middle with Stain. His intern immediately lost her grin when she realized he was not in a forgiving mood yet...Maybe ever.

"He can immobilize whoever blood he ingests...But it's only temporary and the time limit depends on blood-type. O seems to have the fastest recovery time we saw thus far while B had the longest. He hadn't ingested an AB blood type yet so I don't know where that would fall in the spectrum," Neon admitted.

"I see...So what can you infer knowing about his Quirk and this?" Edgeshot asked and raised the bag of weapons.

"That...he uses blades so that he can use his Quirk but…," Neon said slowly, "But his Quirk is only a bonus action if he can get that in. It gives him the advantage but his actual attack...What truly made... _makes_ him dangerous is that he is an excellent swordsman and is fast. Very fast. There were four of us against him and we still had a hard time."

"Yes...That is why it is important to know and recognize the qualities of your Quirk...So you can use it to the best of your knowledge and to also find a way to supplement any areas your Quirk is unable to support you in."

"Yes, Shishou," Neon mumbled as she limped along down the street, "I am fully aware of my shortcomings."

"If you are fully aware, then you must know how to fix it already then...Well...Do you?"

"No...Not yet."

Edgeshot nodded. "That is why I said you weren't ready."

Neon grimaced.

 _Kabam!_

Neon's eyebrow raised when an old man came out of nowhere and landed a solid, metal clad foot right into Midoriya's face.

"I thought I told you to stay seated on the bullet train!" the old man shouted.

"That's...the hero Midoriya's interning with?" Neon asked.

"Yes...This is...This is Gran Torino," Midoriya said, "...I'm sorry, sir."

A group of pro heroes approached them and they nodded at Edgeshot. "Endeavor told us there was a request for help here and to assist you, Edgeshot."

He nodded. "Ah, he was the one who told me to come here too. Help me with these children. They are injured."

"Ah! Those injuries look serious!" a guy in a red mask shouted, "I'll call an ambulance right away."

"Call the police too," Edgeshot said and pointed towards the hero killer, "I'll leave the kids to you. I'll go back to Endeavor to see the situation there."

"AHHHHH! CALL!" Neon screamed as the pro heroes leapt into action. This time she meant to be that loud, "My phone!"

"It's burned…" Todoroki said, "Sorry."

"No, it's fine," Neon moaned, "I just forgot about it...and ugh...it's going to be a pain in the ass to get a new one."

"Just when you joined the class group chat too," Midoriya said mournfully.

"I know!" Neon sighed, "Now I have to remember all the names for I made for you guys again!"

Midoriya and Todoroki blinked.

"Names? What names?" Midoriya asked.

Suddenly, Tenya inserted himself in the middle of the group and he bowed. "You three...You were injured because of me. I am truly sorry. Truly! I...I couldn't see anything through my anger...If only I was thinking clearly...If only I was...better..."

"I'm...sorry too," Midoriya said softly, "I knew you were having a hard time but I didn't realize you felt that cornered. Same with you, Neon, during the sports festival...I didn't notice you were suffering either. Even though we're friends…"

"There's no need for either of you to apologize," Neon scoffed.

"Pull yourself together. You're the class rep, right?" Todoroki asked.

Tenya wiped the tears from his face and gave a nod.

"GET DOWN!"

Out of nowhere, a winged creature swooped down and grabbed Midoriya by the talons.

"MIDORIYA!" his classmates screamed.

The creature flew up into the night leaving behind a forceful gale wind and traces of blood that splattered onto the ground.

"Neon! No-" Edgeshot started to shout.

 _Snap!_

Neon encased her hands with her Double Bubble and shot herself up towards Midoriya. It sounded like someone was shrieking inside her head at this point but she did not care. She closed the distance between her and the creature and then she jerked her hand back in fright, causing her to stop abruptly, when she saw the familiar exposed brain.

 _Nomu?!_

 _Swoosh! Thwack!_

Out of nowhere, Stain came flying past Neon. He grabbed Midoriya in one arm and stabbed the Nomu right in the head with a dull knife, bringing both creature and student crashing to the ground.

As Neon stayed in the air, a sudden gust of wind caused her to turn her head and she saw two familiar silhouettes standing at a nearby rooftop.

 _Kurogiri! Shigaraki!_

Despite the distance...despite being covered in light...Neon instantly knew the moment Shigaraki spotted her too. Her blood ran cold and for a second, she forgot her circumstances and she instinctively snapped her fingers to create a sound barrier...Except in her hurry, she accidentally popped the bubbles around her fists. The bubbles that were keeping her up.

 _Wooosh! Thud!_

She landed right into the arms of Edgeshot, who set her back on the ground next to Endeavor. He said something to her but she just shook her head frantically and pointed to her ear. She really couldn't hear this time.

"League of Villains. Up there! In front of the water tower!" Neon hissed to Edgeshot, hoping he was looped in by the police or something.

His eyes widened and she felt relief that he recognized the name. He said something to Endeavor, who gave a look at Neon that made her feel inadequate and indignant all at the same time. Then, Edgeshot was gone.

Neon turned to look at Endeavor, who started to raise the level of flames from his body. She followed his and fell backwards at the sight of Stain. It wasn't that his mask had fallen off and he looked absolutely terrifying in the dark night with his shining red eyes and the frayed cloth whipping behind him. It was that the bloodlust she had felt before was at a monstrous intensity.

He was shouting something at the top of his lungs. Saliva sprayed out of his widened jaw and his crazed eyes shook with fury. Every step he took was an added weight to Neon's existence, crushing her to a point of helplessness.

He was a predator and everyone else was his prey.

Then suddenly, the intensity was gone and nothing was left except for a man frozen in place, like a statue of horror.

Whatever he was saying, Neon felt it. There was an unmistakable outrage and condemnation...and even though it seemed he could no longer or speak...The haunting sense of judgement stayed with Neon through the ambulance ride to the hospital, through her treatment, and right through until the next morning.


	25. Sounds Like a Reprimand

**Ch 25 - Sounds Like a Reprimand**

"What's this all about?" Neon asked grouchily as she rubbed her tired eyes, "Did you need an audience for a public flogging?"

"Your imagination knows no bounds," Edgeshot replied dryly. He had pulled her out of her hospital bed and practically dragged her to the next room where the boys were recovering in. If he had any sense of pity for her wounded leg, he did not show it in any way, "Just take a seat."

Neon pursed her lips and sat on an empty bed to the left of the room, closest to the door. She leaned her crutch against the bed frame and waved to the other patients in the room. Tenya sat at the edge of his bed, next to Neon's, with both arms wrapped up in thick bandages. Midoriya was in the bed on the other side of the room, across from Neon with Todoroki in the bed beside his.

"Morning…" she mumbled, "Did you guys have a terrible night's rest like I did?"

"Yeah..." the boys said hesitantly back and cast a confused look at Edgeshot. What was this all about and so early in the morning too?

"Oh! Are you kids all awake?" Gran Torino asked, entering the room as well with Manual by his side. The old man glared at his intern, "Kid! I've got a lot of complaints for you."

"Is he here yet?" Edgeshot asked his fellow pro heroes and Manual nodded.

"Who's here?" Neon asked.

A man walked into the room, looming as large as All Might. However, instead of a winning smile and blonde hair, he had the head of a sullen hound, complete with brown and white fur.

"This is Hosu's chief of police, Tsuragame Kenji," Gran Torino said.

"Tsura-san?!" Neon gasped.

"You know the chief of police?" Todoroki asked.

"You know...you visit an establishment a couple of times, you get to know the owner," Neon said with a wince.

"As a criminal or as a victim?" Midoriya couldn't stop himself from asking.

"Do you even have to ask?!" Neon shot back, "Of course, a victim."

"R-Right...The kidnappings…" Midoriya said.

"Nis-No..Nagano now, correct? We can exchange pleasantries later, woof!" Chief Tsuragame replied.

Midoriya's jaw dropped and Neon chuckled. That woof always made a great first impression.

"You must be the UA students who brought down the hero killer, right?" the chief asked.

"Yes," Todoroki answered.

"Regarding the hero killer we arrested...He had fairly serious injuries, with burns and broken bones, and is receiving treatment under strict guard. Woof!"

"Since you are UA students, I'm sure you already know that when Quirks were still being introduced as the norm, the police attached high importance to leadership and standards and made sure Quirks were not used as weapons...And then, the profession 'hero' emerged to fill that gap. Woof!"

"Well, yeah. If I could use my Quirk freely, I wouldn't have to enroll in the hero course," Neon grumbled and earned a withering look from Edgeshot.

"For an individual's use of force and power that easily kill others... ," the chief continued, "Actions that normally would be appropriate to denounce...to be accepted officially is thanks to early heroes who followed the ethics and rules of the profession. Woof! Even up against the hero killer, for uncertified individuals to cause injury with their Quirks without specific instruction from their guardians or supervisors is a clear violation of the rules. Woof!"

 _I knew it…_ Neon sighed, _No good deed goes unpunished in the world of adults._

"The four of you...and the pro heroes Endeavor, Manual, Gran Torino, and Edgeshot must receive strict punishment. Woof!"

"Wait!" Neon shouted as she and Todoroki both jumped out of their bed, "Why the hell is Shishou getting punished for this? I get I ran off so that's my mistake. Not his!"

Edgeshot blinked and his head turned to eye his pupil. He expected an outburst but not for that reason.

"If Iida hadn't done anything, Native would've been killed," Todorki added with fury, "If Midoriya and Neon hadn't come, the two of them would've been killed as well. No one else realized that the hero killer had appeared. Are you saying we should've followed the rules and watched people get killed?!"

"W-Wait," Midoriya said as he tried to calm down his friends.

"Are you saying that as long as it turns out all right, it's okay to bend the rules?" Chief Tsuragame asked.

"Why can't you change it or make exceptions based on special circumstances?" Neon asked, "Ugh! That's why you guys frustrate me so much! People made the rules in the first place. It's not a natural law like physics! Man-made laws can be changed!"

Chief Tsuragame sighed. "You guys are still kids with a mentality of one. That is why you are not a full-fledged hero yet. Goodness, what are you being taught by your teachers? Woof."

"What?!" Neon roared as she and Todoroki started for the Chief.

"STOP! He's absolutely right," Tenya called out.

Edgeshot threw out his arm to block Neon from proceeding any further. "Wait a minute. Let the man finish."

The chief heaved a great sigh. "That was the official opinion of the police...and the punishment and such would only happen _if_ this were all made public. Woof!"

Neon blinked. "Huh?!"

"If this were made public, you would probably be applauded by the public...but you would not be able to escape punishment. On the other hand...And I'll admit this is a bit underhanded, but if it is not made public, the burn scars and broken bones on Stain would support Edgeshot and Endeavor being the heroes who saved the day...and it would end there. Woof. Thankfully, there were very few witnesses. This violation could be crushed here. Woof! But this would mean no one would know about your good judgment or achievements. Which do you prefer?"

"Obviously, the latter," Neon said and begrudgingly sat back on her bed.

"Personally, I don't want to be the one to find fault with promising young ones because of one big mistake," the Chief said. His tongue rolled out the side of his jaw and he gave them a thumbs up, "Woof!"

"Either way, we will need to take responsibility for being negligent in our supervisory duties," Manual said with an apologetic smile.

Tenya bowed to his supervisor. "I am truly sorry."

"Yosh!" Manual said, "You'll cause trouble for others if you behave selfishly. If you understand that, then don't do it again."

"Yes, sir!"

"I-I'm sorry," Midoriya said with a bow to the adults as well.

"Please take care of it," Todoroki was all he could manage to say.

Everyone in the room then turned to Neon expectantly.

She scowled instead. "Change the stupid law."

 _Thwack!_

"Owwww. I'm a _patient!_ " Neon snapped at Edgeshot, who in turn shoved her head down to a bow.

"Don't be childish," he said.

"Fine...I'm sorry too..."

"Because of the unfairness of adults, you will be able to receive the praise you would have probably gotten but at least…" the chief said as he bowed too, "As someone who also protects the peace, I can say thank you."

Todoroki frowned and he looked to the wall. "Please start with that next time."

"Oh! Shishou!" Neon said as she jerked up to a standing position, "Did you find that hand guy? And the warp guy?!"

Edgeshot nodded. "Ah...but they left just as I arrived…"

"You saw Shigaraki?!" Midoriya exclaimed.

Neon nodded. "Just after Stain rescued you from the flying Nomu…"

"So there is definitely a connection between the League of Villains and the Hero Killer," Todoroki murmured as he folded his arms across his chest and moved back to his bed, deep in thought.

"Please leave the investigation to us. Woof!" the Chief said, "And get your rest."

"Ah...I'll let you take it easy for now, kid...but once the hospital releases you, it's going to be business as usual!" Gran Torino shouted.

"Y-Yes!" Midoriya exclaimed while Edgeshot just gave Neon a chop on the head.

"Ow! What did I do now?" Neon asked.

"A pre-emptive strike," Edgeshot said as he made his way to the door along with the other adults, "I'll come back for you tomorrow...You can rest for today. And don't worry about Ito-san. I've already spoken to her. She'll stop by my office tomorrow and drop off your new phone...I explained to her the situation and told her that you've learned your lesson. Don't make me out to be a liar."

"Thanks, Shishou," Neon said. When the adults closed the door behind them, Neon turned to the boys, "Can someone lend me their phone?"

"Do you need to call your brother, Neon-san?" Tenya asked and Neon nodded. Tenya's arms fidgeted in his double sling, "I would...I would offer you my phone but…"

"You can use mine," Midoriya said as he pulled out his phone but when Neon reached for it, it began to ring.

"Ah!" Midoriya yelped as the screen flashed Ochaco's name and his face turned red.

"Go. Take the call," Neon chuckled and then held out her hand towards Todoroki, "Can I borrow your phone?"

"...Sure," Todoroki said as he hesitantly went to the neat pile of his folded clothes and retrieved his phone.

"Something in there you don't want me to see?" Neon asked and then was taken aback when Todoroki averted his eyes and held out his phone, "Look. I'm not going to pry. I just need to dial a number but if this makes you uncomfortable-"

"Take it...It's fine," he mumbled and unlocked the screen. When he handed it to her, Neon couldn't help but laugh. He had put a picture of a lucky cat as the phone's backdrop.

"That's so cute," Neon said.

"My...older sister put it there for me...And I never bothered to switch it out…" Todoroki stated.

"It's fine if you think it's cute," Neon said.

She grabbed her crutch and walked out of the room, following in Midoriya's footsteps to the lobby where calls were allowed. She saw him talking nervously on the phone with Ochaco as she dialed her brother's number.

"This is Nishiyama Koushi speaking."

"Hey. It's me."

"NEON! Are you okay? I heard the news and was going to come visit as soon as I was done with morning meetings."

Neon smiled. "Just the thought is enough. No need to bother. I only have a scratch on my leg."

"Th...That's good. I was very worried but Akia was very hopeful. She said she was sure you were the one who took down that Hero Killer and that the other adults were just jealous of your talent."

"Ha! Tell her thanks for the vote of confidence," Neon laughed.

"Why don't you call her yourself? And why are you using someone else's number?"

"Yeah...My phone broke during the incident…" Neon admitted, "I'm getting a new phone tomorrow. I just wanted to call to let you know I'm okay."

"If you need anything…"

"I'm fine," Neon said, "Let Akia know once my leg heels up and I'm done with my internship, I'll come visit."

"I will."

She hung up the phone and saw that Midoriya had finished his call too. He had his phone hugged tightly to his chest and he was looking up at the heavens as if they had just bestowed upon him the gift of light and immortality.

"First time talking to a girl on the phone?" Neon asked as she went over to him.

"Ah! Neon!" MIdoriya gasped, almost tripping over his own crutch.

"Careful," Neon laughed, "Come on. Let's go back."

They returned to the room and when they did, Neon could tell something was wrong by the look on both Todoroki and Tenya's faces. They sat at the edge of their own beds with their eyes looking solemnly at a point in the ground.

"What's wrong?" Neon asked as she closed the door behind her.

"Iida...just finished getting examined," Todoroki said.

Tenya took a deep breath, "My left hand might have long-term damage…"

Neon felt like the floor disappeared below her and she stumbled to find her balance. "What kind of damage?!"

"Both of my arms are pretty beat up," Tenya said, "But it looks like the damage to my left arm was especially severe. There was a damage to my brachial plexus. But it just means that I'll have trouble moving my hands and fingers...I might also experience some numbness. Apparently, there's a possibility that it can be healed with nerve transplant surgery."

"Then...when are you getting it?" Neon asked quietly.

Tenya smiled grimly. "When I found the hero killer, I stopped being able to think. The first thing I should've done was tell Manual...But I forgot myself in anger. It's unfortunate to admit but Stain spoke the truth. Being taken in by the hatred before you and trying to fulfill your own desires...That's the furthest thing from what a hero should be. That's why...until I become a true hero, I think I want to leave my left hand as it is."

"IIda…" Todoroki said.

"If that is your decision...I'll respect it," Neon said as her eyes moved to Tenya's bandaged arms.

"Iida-kun...I understand how you feel," Midoriya said as he raised his right hand for them to see the scars and janky digits, "Let's...become stronger together."

"I...uh...feel kind of bad…"

"Huh?"

They all turned towards Todoroki, who stared at his own hands. "I feel like whenever I get involved...other people end up having their hands messed up...Is it a curse?"

"Are you serious?" Neon asked.

Todoroki nodded with too much solemnity.

 _Pfffffffft!_

HIs friends laughed at his observation and then Midoriya pointed at Neon. "That's just like you with your cheering curse!"

Neon snorted. "Yeah but I had an unbreakable streak of 4! Todoroki only has 2 to base his theory on."

That sent them into another round of laughter while Todoroki just stared.

"I'm...not joking. I'm like the Hand Crusher or something."

"H-Hand Crusher?" Tenya and Midoriya howled.

"Stop!" Neon shouted as she doubled over and clutched her stomach, "Ow...My side…"

She lost her balance and she fell to the ground still laughing while her crutch clattered by her feet.

"Neon!" Midoriya and Todoroki gasped as the latter rushed over to help her up.

"I'm okay," Neon chuckled as she wiped the tears from her eyes, "Thanks...Shit...I hope I didn't open up my wound. Shishou will kill me if I delay my internship anymore…"

"I did notice that he seemed quite strict with you...In a good way," Todoroki said as she leaned up against his bed and tucked her crutch back under her arm, "He seems like a good teacher for you."

Neon shrugged. "I just wish he'd be more straightforward. Just cut to the chase, you know?"

"Well...the way that he was asking you all these questions yesterday," Midoriya said, "It feels like he'd rather you figure it out for yourself."

"I guess," Neon said, "What are your supervisors like?"

"Old...," Midoriya said sheepishly.

"Pleasant," Tenya said.

Todoroki shrugged. "It's my old man so…"

"Okay...I guess wrong crowd to ask," Neon laughed. She nudged Todoroki with her elbow and handed him back his phone. "Thanks for this, by the way."

"It seems...the relationship you have with your family has improved," he said.

"Yeah," Neon said, "Turns out my brother and I just needed to talk things out. I finally heard his side of the story and we're working to better understand each other now. My father's still a dick though."

Tenya choked on the water he was drinking and Midoriya's eyes widened at Neon's words.

"What about your mother?" Todoroki asked.

Neon sighed. "Akia's my half sister...Her mother is my father's second wife...My mom died when I was little...Here...In this hospital actually."

"WHAT?!" Midoriya gasped while Tenya just looked at Neon in quiet contemplation.

"Oh...I'm sorry," Todoroki said.

"It's okay. It happens," Neon said with a shrug and then she looked over at Tenya, "What about your parents? Have you heard from them?"

"Ah…" Tenya said, "Actually, now that I've received my diagnosis, the doctor has given me clearance to leave today. I'll be returning to my house and recuperating there. You are welcome to come as well, Neon-san. My mother has asked me to invite you to dinner."

Neon held up a hand. "I don't want to intrude on your family time...I'll stay here and wait for Shishou. Tell your family I said hi."

"I will," Tenya said.

Neon then pointed her finger upwards. "What about your brother? Are you going to visit him?"

Tenya shook his head and looked down at his arms. "I...I don't want him to see me like this. I'm sure my mother will tell him what had happened but...still…"

Neon sighed and she sat a little bit further on the bed and leaned back to put less weight on her foot. "And you, Midoriya? Your internship is farthest away from home, right? How's your mom handling it?"

Midoriya looked down on his bandaged limbs. "My...mom is worried but she wishes me the best and told me to work hard on my internship."

"That's a good mom," Neon said and Midoriya smiled weakly.

"I've done nothing but let her worry this whole time…"

"Crap. I totally brought down the mood," Neon sighed as she sat back up and clapped her hands, "Okay! Does anyone want to see the porn I found saved on Todoroki's phone?"

"WHAT?!"

"Kidding!" Neon stuck out her tongue and grinned at the horrified boys, especially the one sitting next to her, "But that totally changed the mood, right?"


	26. Sounds Like Girl Talk

**Ch 26 - Sounds Like Girl Talk**

"Nice hair…"

"WHAT DID YOU SAY, DYE JOB?!" Katsuki yelled as his hair sprang out from it's matted down side part into its usual explosive form.

"HA! It's back," Sero and Kirishima laughed as Neon and Todoroki brushed past them to get to their seats. It was the first day back from their internship and the class was buzzing with excitement as they caught each other up with their weeklong training.

"How was your last day?" Todoroki asked Neon as she set her bag down her desk.

Neon grinned and pulled out 5 postcards of her own. "I managed to keep up with Shishou on his patrol route. I'm still not as fast as him but I, at least, managed to keep him in my line of sight at all times."

"What?! You got to go to Disneyland during your internship?!" Mina shrieked as she ran from her seat and grabbed the postcards out of Neon's hands.

"Hey. A villain could attack at any given time and place," Neon said with a shrug, "But for the record, it was just patrolling. I didn't do any fighting...I didn't even get to go on any rides."

"All I did was train and patrol too," Tsu said from her seat, "Although, there was one time when we caught smugglers from a neighboring country."

"That's crazy!" Mina and Jiro shouted.

"Don't play it down, Neon!" Denki said as Midoriya and Tenya walked over to her and Todoroki's desks, "The one's who experienced the most this past week has to be you guys. With the hero killer and everything."

"I'm glad you guys made it out alive. Seriously!" Kirishima said with Katsuki's hands gripping the back of his shirt.

"I was worried too," Momo said with a look towards Todoroki.

"I heard Endeavor and Edgeshot came in time for the save, right?" Sato asked as the class began to crowd around them.

"That's amazing. As expected from the number two and five heroes," Hagakure cheered.

Todoroki and Neon shared a solemn look and then Todoroki nodded. "Yeah…They saved us."

"I saw on the news that the hero killer was connected to the League of Villains," Ojiro said, "Imagining someone that scary coming to USJ freaks me out."

"Yeah but did you see the video, Ojiro? Of the hero killer?" Denki asked, "Seeing that, you can see how he really held true to his values and like...tenacious. Doesn't it almost make you think he's cool?"

 _Thwack._

Neon smacked her palm on her desk and glared while Midoriya called out worryingly to Denki. "Kaminari-kun!"

"Huh?" Denki asked and then saw how Neon's eyes moved to Tenya, "Oh! Sorry!"

"No...It's fine," Tenya said, "It's true that he was tenacious. I understand how people could think he's cool..But he chose purging as a result of his beliefs. No matter what he thinks, that part is definitely wrong. In order to keep anyone else from turning out like me..." He struck out his arm and lined his hand towards the future in front of him, "I will once again walk on the path to becoming a hero! Now! It is time for class. Everyone, take your seats! Yes! Today, we return on this journey to-"

"He's so loud," Tokoyami said as the class rep continued to yammer on.

"Stupid Kaminari caused all of this," Jiro huffed under her breath, "Do something, Neon."

"Is it weird that I kind of missed his racket?" Neon asked.

"Yes," Jiro, Tokoyami, and Sato all said at the same time.

Regular class time came and went with Neon taking over their math class. There was some grumbling over the pop quiz she sprang on them but with the intimidating Ectoplasm overseeing the class, the complaints were kept at a minimum.

Then it came time for hero training and everyone was excited to show their growth from their internships.

"Long time no see, boys and girls! How've you been?!" All Might bellowed with his hands on his hips as they stood in costume in front of a cement gate, "For this time's hero basic training, we'll have some fun with a rescue training race. Welcome to Field Gamma!"

The gate pulled open and they walked into an industrial facility that was an elaborate labyrinth of pipelines, factories, and cranes.

"This is a dense area filled with various factories," All Might said as he walked in, "You'll break up into three teams of five and one team of six. When I send out a distress signal from somewhere inside, you'll all start at once from the outskirts of the city. It's a race to see who will rescue me first! Of course…"

All Might turned and pointed his finger directly at Katsuki, "You will need to keep damage to your surroundings at a minimum."

"Why are you only directing this at me?" Katsuki growled.

Everyone held their tongue while All Might divided them into groups. The first ones to go consisted of Midoriya, Tenya, Ojiro, Sero, and Mina.

"They're all pretty fast," Jiro said as she sat on the floor and waited for her turn.

"Perhaps Midoriya is at a slight disadvantage," Momo said, "And whenever he does something, he always gets badly injured."

"Who do you think'll win? I think Sero'll be first," Kirishima said.

"But Ojiro's there, too," Denki said, "I'm betting on him!"

"I think it'll be Ashido. She's really athletic!" Minetta shouted.

"What do you think?" Todoroki asked Neon and she shrugged.

"It's honestly anyone's game…"

"No way. Deku will definitely be last!" Katsuki yelled.

"Even if he's injured, I still think it'll be Iida-kun," Ochaco guessed.

"Alright. Here we go!" All Might shouted from across the facility and raised his arm, "START!"

As expected by the class, Sero took the lead by flying through the air with his tape while Ojiro came at a close second, utilizing his tail to launch himself forward. Tenya and Mina also were following closely behind using their own Quirks.

Suddenly, a green flash of light flew past Sero and took the lead by a long shot. Midoriya jumped and kicked off the nearby platforms with ease and speed.

 _Just like in the alleyway..._ Neon thought and then she gasped. Seeing it in bright light and open air was a lot different than her first viewing, _Just like Noisy Boy's movements!_

She turned to look at Katsuki and sure enough, there was a stricken expression on his face.

 _Thwack!_

"What happened?" Neon turned as she stared at the screen, projecting everyone's progress.

"He...fell," Todoroki stated.

"Midoriya?!"

Todoroki nodded with his usual blank stare. "He slipped and just...fell."

Neon rolled her eyes as the race finished with Sero being awarded the winner.

"Alright," Neon sighed as she stretched her arms, "I'm up next…"

After giving them their positions, Neon stood at the foot of a large tin warehouse and waited for All Might to start the race. She was up against Bakugo, Mineta, Momo, and Kirishima. Based on Quirk abilities, the person who had a speedy power boost would be Mineta and definitely Bakugo but Neon was not going to count anyone out so she was going to push through as if she was in last place.

"Ready? START!"

 _Snap!_

Neon double bubbled her hands. She stuck her hands up into the air, with her fingers straight and close together, and rocketed into the sky.

"What?! You can fly?!" Bakugo cried as he blasted behind her.

Neon ignored him and started to bend the tips of her fingers down, arcing her path downwards towards her target. When she was ready to land, she quickly pushed her hands down to the side and flattened her palms parallel to the ground, easing her fall until she gently touched down on the ground.

As soon as her bubbles popped, Katsuki exploded onto the scene, landing with one knee down and a fist on the floor.

"Congratulations, Young Neon!" All Might said as he handed her a "Thank You For Saving Me" sash, "You have indeed improved a lot during your internship!"

"But not enough," Neon said, feeling the back of hair burning from Noisy Boy's glare, "I still have a long way to go."

* * *

 _-Flashback: Last Day of her Internship-_

"Shishou…" Neon said. She had gathered all her things and once she stepped foot out of the office, that would be the end of her internship. However, she had the distinct feeling that her work there was not even close to being finished.

"Yes?" Edgeshot asked as he stood by the window.

"I thought about what you said...About finding a way to supplement the areas my Quirk can't help me with…"

"And?"

"...I think I need a weapon. Like how Stain has a sword...," Neon said, "But...I don't know what...I don't want to hurt anyone but...I realized back in the alleyway that the most I could do was defend while my friends attacked...I need some offensive power as well…"

"There are weapons that are not built for damaging," Edgeshot said, "A whip, for instance, can lash out, yes, but it can also constrict and capture."

"Yeah...Eraser Head uses that scarf thing and that's pretty powerful," Neon said, "Without causing outright damage…But do I want something to bind?"

"Think about what you truly wish to do. What problem you wish to solve and then take it from there," Edgeshot said.

"What problem I wish to solve…" Neon repeated.

* * *

Neon sat on the bench in front of the lockers, lost in her thoughts as she contemplated what exactly she intended to do with a weapon. What tool would be the most useful to her?

"Stop this, Mineta!"

Neon jerked her head up and looked around. It was a soft echo-y voice but it was definitely Tenya's and it was coming from the shared wall between the boy's locker room and the girl's.

"Oy...Jiro," Neon said as she crept closer to the wall, "Do me a favor and listen in on the boys. I think Mineta's up to something."

"Of course he would be. That damn perv," Jiro said as she stuck her headphone jack into the wall while Neon leaned in closer to the wall, trying to hone in on the source of sound. If she could hear it, that must mean there's an opening somewhere in the wall.

 _Come on, Iida-kun. Do what you do best. Be loud!_

"Peeping is definitely a criminal act!"

Neon's eyes darted in the direction of the Tenya's voice and she spotted a hole in the wall, just big enough for someone to peep through. She nudged Jiro with her elbow and then pointed at the hole. The disgusted look that spread on Jiro's face was nothing Neon had ever seen before.

"What are you guys doing?" Ochaco asked.

Neon pressed her finger to her lips as Jiro crouched towards the hole.

"My little Mineta is already a criminal act!" they heard Mineta yell.

Jiro and Neon both gagged at that statement, while the other girls in the room whirled around and held their clothes over their bodies.

"Yaoyorozu's ample Yaoyoro-boobs! Ashido's slender waist! Hagakure's floating underwear! Neon's lean legs! Uraraka's fine uraraka-body! Asui's unexpected boob-"

 _Thwack!_

"AHHHHH!"

Jiro shot her earphone jack through the hole and it struck right into Mineta's perverted eye.

"Thanks, Kyoka-chan," Hagakure sighed.

"How despicable," Momo condemned, "Let me close this up right away!"

"Thanks, Momo," Neon said as Momo created a bucket of joint compound and a drywall knife from her body. Momo hurriedly changed into her school uniform and went over to patch up the wall while Neon finished getting dressed as well.

"Did you get that from the hero killer?" Mina gasped when she saw the bandage still wrapped around Neon's leg.

"Oh...Yeah," Neon said, "But the other guys got it much worse…"

She wanted to say that they did more than her but she didn't want to go against their agreed public statement so she held her tongue.

"You seemed to have gotten quite close to Midoriya and Todoroki now," Mina teased, "Do you like any of them?"

From the corner of her eye, Neon saw Ochaco whirl around to see her reaction. All the other girls seemed to lean in as well on the conversation but the gravity manipulator definitely showed more than curiosity to Neon's answer. She faced her audience and she folded her arms over her chest. "No," she stated matter of factly.

"Aw. That's no fun," Mina grumbled.

"Really?!"

Neon blinked at Momo, who seemed just as taken aback at her own outburst. She put a hand over her mouth and she blushed.

"I'm sorry...I just see you and Todoroki-kun come in everyday so I just assumed…" she said and her voice trailed off.

The notion of Momo liking Todoroki was shoved out of the way with Neon's go-to inkling. which was to leave everyone's business to themselves unless they volunteered that information. However, Mina did not share the same sentiment.

"OOOH!" she exclaimed as she clapped her hands and hopped up and down, "Do you like him, Momo?! You two would be so cute together! And you both came in on recommendation. So fitting!"

Momo's face went from porcelain pale to a peachy hue that was befitting of her name. "I-I...I just admire his skills and I think he's a very capable person."

"Wait. What? Todoroki and Yaoyorozu are going out?" Hagakure gasped.

"Calm down, everyone," Tsu said, "Let's not make this a big deal for Momo-chan."

"And don't spread gossip! Momo has not said anything about liking him," Neon said as she put a hand on Momo's shoulder, "But I will say...If you want to get to know him more, you should try and talk to him. He's actually quite an easy guy to talk to."

Momo bit her lip and she looked down on the ground. "I wish I had your confidence and strength, Neon…"

"Hey...You're the one who had to give _me_ a pep talk on the first day of school, remember?" Neon said with a grin, "Don't sell yourself short."

Momo slowly smiled back. "Thank you, Neon."

When the girls returned to the classroom, Aizawa was already waiting for them for last announcements and dismissal. The boys followed in shortly after and their teacher wasted no time in getting down to business.

"Okay. That's it for class but just a few things," Aizawa said, "There's only one week left until the final exams. You all are studying properly, right? I'm sure you already know...But it won't just be a written exam. There's also a practical component...And yes, Nagano...Even though I know you know the material, you still have to take the written exam. This is not like our midterm. There is more material to cover this time so you will be required to participate."

Neon scowled. _What a waste of time._

"Now...make sure you train your minds and bodies at the same time," Aizawa said, "There's a training camp waiting for those who pass the exams. That's all."

He left the room and as soon as the door closed, the class erupted into conversation once more.

"I haven't studied at all!" Mina and Denki yelled, one with pride and the other with utter horror.

Denki slumped in his seat. "With the sports festival and internship, I totally forgot about actual schoolwork."

"Oh yeah...You both did the worst in our class during the midterms, right?" Kaminari laughed.

"I don't know why you're laughing...Mr. 15th Place," Neon scoffed. As the person who helped grade the papers, she knew best everyone's standing, "Even Mineta did better than you guys."

"WHAT?!" Denki, Mina, and Kirishima shouted while Mineta chortled at his desk.

"And here I thought you were one of us," Mina seethed.

"Guys like you are only likable if they're dumb…! Where's the justice for this?!" Denki yelled.

"Neon! You have to tutor me!" Mina wailed as she ran to Neon's desk and clasped her hands, "Please?!"

"Hard pass," Neon said, pulling her hand away and shaking her head, "Teaching our classes during the week is already tough enough. If I spend more than one hour repeating the same stuff to you guys, I will kill myself."

Neon pointed over to Momo. "Why don't you ask Miss 1st Place over there."

"Me?" Momo asked in surprise.

"Momo has more patience than I do and is more agreeable in nature," Neon said, "You guys will be better off learning from her."

"I don't know about that," Momo said with a blush, "But I am happy to provide assistance if you need."

"See?" Neon asked.

Suddenly, a dark cloud formed across Momo's eyes. "But...I can't help at all with the practical though…" she mumbled.

Neon raised an eyebrow. _What the hell?_

In front of her, Todoroki also turned to look at Momo and that made Neon pause further.

 _...Maybe Todoroki has taken interest in Momo too._

"Hey. Mr. 5th Place," Neon said and lightly kicked the back of Todoroki's chair to get him to turn around, "Maybe you should ask Momo for help too."

"I don't need to," Todoroki said, "I know the material well enough."

 _Work with me here…_

"Not well enough to beat the other four," Neon replied, "And don't forget, I've been grading all your stuff. I know how weak you are in Modern Hero Art History."

"I'm okay," Todoroki said and turned back in his chair, "If I have any questions when I'm studying, can't I just text you? You should know everything the best out of all of us."

"...Fine. Just keep it brief," Neon conceded.

"I will."

Neon shot a look over at Momo, who was too excited in planning her weekend study session for her classmates that she didn't notice the exchange between Neon and Todoroki.

 _Well, I tried…Sorry, Momo…_

"Neon-san? What are you smiling about?"

"Eh?" Neon looked over at Tenya, who was walking over to her and her hand went to her cheek.

"That's...a great question," Neon whispered. _What the hell was I smiling about?!_


	27. Sounds Like a Final Exam

**Ch 27 - Sounds Like a Final Exam**

The three days of written exams took a lot out of Neon but it was just emotional stress for being completely bored out of her mind. By the time the fourth day arrived for the practical exams, Neon was ready to go and do something.

They were transported to a satellite campus on the outskirts of town. They stood in front of what looked to be a business building with a separate concrete structure attached to it on the back. The entire facility took up an entire block so Neon couldn't tell if the building was just the front of it or if the entire practical exam would be taking place indoors.

What was also puzzling to her was that all of the first year teachers were gathered at the front, waiting for them, plus a few more teachers for the other years. Aizawa stood at the center of the group and he looked solemnly at the class.

"Now...we will begin the practical exam," he said, "Of course, it is possible to fail this exam. If you want to go to training camp, then don't make any stupid mistakes. I'm sure by now all of you have heard what the practical exam entails..."

"Fighting robo-warriors like our entrance exam!" Denki cheered.

"Training camp here we come! Curry! Fireworks! Truth or dare!" Mina yelled next to him.

"Actually…"

 _Pop!_

Principal Nezu sprang out from beneath Aizawa's scarf and he smiled at his students. "For various reasons, the exam will be different starting this time!"

"Principal?!" Neon gasped, "How long have you been hiding in there?!"

"I, indeed, stayed longer than intended and my body temperature is currently higher than I'd like it to be but I wanted to emphasize the element of the unexpected! Much like this exam!" Principal Nezu cheered.

Neon blinked. Even his entrance was long-winded.

"From now on, we want to focus on person-to-person combat and hero work," Principal Nezu stated, "And stress teaching that is closer to actual fighting...So we'll have you form teams of two to fight against one teacher! Oh! But with 21 students, there will be one team of three."

"What?!" the class gasped, "Against the teachers?!"

"In addition, the teams and who they will be up against have already been decided," Aizawa stated, "These were determined at my discretion based on various factors, including fighting style, grades, and interpersonal relationships...so here they are..."

He held out a list and started to read. "First team to go up is Nagano and Kirishima."

"Eh?" Neon and Kirishima locked eyes, both startled by this pairing.

"You two will be going against Cementoss."

Neon gaped at her teacher. _Me and Kirishima?!...Why?!_

* * *

 _-Flashback: A Few Days Before the Practical Exams-_

"Here are the teams...First off, Todoroki," Aizawa presented to the principal and his peers as they sat in the school's conference room, "In general, he's doing well...But overall, he has a tendency to use brute force...And Yaoyorozu is an all-rounder but lacks the ability to make spur-of-the-moment decisions and apply them. Therefore I'll erase their Quirks and take advantage of their weaknesses in close combat."

"Sounds good. Any objections?" Principal Nezu asked the room.

"No objections," came the unanimous reply.

"Next is Midoriya and Bakugo," Aizawa continued, "I'm leaving them to you, All Might. For these two, I didn't pair them up based on ability or grades. Just on how badly they get along."

"No objections."

"And the third team will be Nagano and Kirishima against Cementoss…"

"Me?" Cementoss asked.

Aizawa nodded. "This is a challenge of teamwork for them. Nagano, unlike Yaoyorozu, excels in making spur-of-the-moment decisions but she lacks leadership and patience. She also has a tendency to only gravitate towards people she already knows well. Kirishima has a habit of rushing into things without thinking it through and attacking right from the get go. With Cementoss' overwhelming ability, it will be a true challenge to see if Nagano will be able to work with Kirishima and if Kirishima will actually stop listen to her. That is also why I would like to put them up first as a team. I want to give Nagano a disadvantage of not being able to plan ahead or to warm up to her teammate."

"No objection."

"And next we have Sato, Kaminari, and Ashido…"

* * *

"Me and you?" Kirishima asked with a grin as he moved over to stand next to Neon once all the pairs have been revealed, "Alright! This is going to be a cinch to pass!"

"Yeah. If our test was to joke someone to death," Neon sighed, "You haven't even heard what the stipulations are."

"Yes!" Principal Nezu said as he held up a pair of yellow angular handcuffs, "Your objective is either to put these handcuffs on the teacher, or to have one of you escape from the stage!"

"Capture or escape?" Denki asked, "It's kind of like combat training."

"Totally different!" Present Mic shouted, "You'll be up against someone waaaaay better than you!"

"This time, your exam will be very similar to a real battle," Thirteen said, "Please think of us as villains."

"Assuming you come across the enemy," Cementoss said, "If you think you can win a fight against then, then that's fine. However…"

"In cases where there's too big a difference in your abilities, it would be smarter to run away and get help," Aizawa stated, "Todoroki, Iida, Midoriya, Nagano...I'm sure you four understand this most of all."

"So this isn't just testing our strength and physical abilities," Neon said, "It's also testing our judgement."

"Correct!," All Might shouted, "Your decision-making skills are being tested! But with these rules, you're probably thinking the only choice is to run, right? WRONG! Why? Because we had the support course make these for us!"

He reached in his back pocket and flashed a circular metal contraption. "These are Ultra Compressed Weights! We'll put on about half of our body weight once we attach these to our ankles and wrists. It's to give you a handicap. It's old-fashioned but it makes it hard to move and eats up stamina."

"Yosh...Each team will take the practical exam in order on the prepared stage," Aizawa said, "Nagano, Kirishima. Get ready."

Neon put on her helmet and then she and Kirishima nodded at their teacher. "Yes, sir!"

The teachers started to head into the building while Aizawa continued to talk. "Those waiting their turn can watch the exams or think of strategies as a team."

"Yosh! The plan is to strip Midnight Sensei nude, right?" Mineta shouted at his teammates, Sato and Sero.

"You are such a scumbag," Sero sighed.

"Alright! First team to go. I'm pumped!" Kirishima said as he raced off into the building.

"W-Wait!" Neon shouted, chasing after him, "We need to strategize."

"Why bother? It's Cementoss Sensei, right? He's just going to build up those walls and we can use our Quirks to knock it back down," Kirishima laughed.

"But…"

Neon sighed and caught up to her teammate. They were directed to the space for the practical exam, which resembled an emptied city, much like the setting of their entrance exam.

"Shit. An urban environment," Neon said, "Cementoss is clearly at an advantage. We need to-"

"Nagano and Kirishima's practical exam is starting. Reay? Go!" announced a voice and Kirishima tore off down the street.

"Come on, Neon!" Kirishima called out, "For this exam, we'll definitely get a higher score by capturing rather than running, right? We gotta find Cementoss!"

"Wait! It won't be-"

 _Boom!_

Suddenly, a wall of cement shot out in front of Kirishima and he leapt back in line with Neon.

"Easy…," Neon finished.

"No worries," Kirishima smirked, "Cementoss Sensei moves slowly so let's just break through from the front and aim for a high score! You got the handcuffs right?"

"Yes but I think-" Neon said but Kirishima was already hacking away with his hardened fists at the cement wall. Neon rolled her eyes. As soon as Kirishima went through one wall, four more would pop out of the ground like a stone hydra. It would be a waste of energy for them to break through all of them.

Neon looked around her environment while Kirishima continued on his demolition spree.

 _Could I break the doors down to these model buildings and use it to get past? No...Cementoss could change the foundation and warp them if I'm not careful...Should I go up? What if-_

"Neon. Look out!"

"Eh?!" Neon gasped as the ground beneath her feet rose up and became one of the many walls blocking their path. She stuck her arms out to keep her balance as she stood high into the air.

"You okay?!" Kirishima yelled up.

"I'm fine!" Neon shouted. She looked across the tops of the walls and she spotted Cementoss, kneeling on the ground with his hands pressed against it at the very end of the street, in front of the gate, "I see him! He's trying to stop us from escaping but it's a straight shot from here."

"Yosh! Just give me some time and I'll break all of these walls down!" Kirishima roared.

"Wait!" Neon shouted just as the wall she was standing on broke into pieces and she backflipped off of it in order to land away from the debris. She was getting really irritated by Kirishima's one track mind.

 _Fine! If you don't want to work together...Then we won't!_

Now that she didn't have to factor in Kirishima, her options started to streamline in her mind. She snapped her fingers and double bubbled her hands.

 _The only way to get through this is with speed,_ Neon thought, _I just have to get past faster than Cementoss can form his walls!_

She rocketed up into the air but as soon as she did, the walls still standing began to rise and twist to form cubicle fingers, reaching up to grab her.

"NEON!" Kirishima shouted as he tried to punch through their base but now with them clustering together, it was taking longer to break it down.

Neon hurriedly moved her hands around like a puppeteer and she zig zagged her way through the cement hand, towards the opening.

 _Pop!_

"Ah!" Neon cried when the corner of a slab popped one of her bubbles and cut across the back of her hand. She instinctively jerked her hands up in pain, pulling herself backwards and slamming backfirst into another slab.

She hurriedly regained control of herself and pulled herself out of the way just as a new slab came firing up, in an attempt to immobilize her between them.

"Don't hesitate, just go!" Neon shouted to herself as she thrusted her hand forward in a superhero pose and flew through the growing cement obstacle. The slabs were congealing together and soon they were just large thick pillars of cement shooting up in an attempt to block or trap her in place. Neon flew higher and higher and the cement began to gather closer and closer to reach her.

When she reached open sky, with no buildings around her, she dove down at a sharp angle towards the exit. The cement pillars tried to follow her but the angle was too extreme and they started to crack and break as it attempted to form downwards, unable to support their own weight.

 _WOOOOMPH!_

Neon was just about to reach the exit when another large cement wall exhumed from the ground, blocking her way entirely. Neon jumped back, kicking off the wall in order to distance herself from it but in doing so she ended up throwing herself into the ground. She tumbled backwards and she rolled right into Cementoss.

"You cannot get through the exit by yourself," Cementoss said, he was still kneeling down but this time he was facing Neon and the exit. He didn't need to concentrate on Kirishima anymore, as he had collapsed due to fatigue, "This would've been a good time to have your partner with you to break through the wall."

 _Click!_

"Who said anything about escaping?" Neon asked as she turned on her back with a big grin on her face as Cementoss looked down at the handcuffs on his wrists.

"Your hands are always on the ground in order to shape the cement," Neon said as she got to your feet, "So I took advantage of that."

"Clever…" Cementoss said, "But before you rejoice in your victory...Please keep in mind...you had left your teammate on his own and he is now unconscious. If this was a real battle, his life would've been at stake."

The grin on Neon's face disappeared as she looked down the street. Cementoss rescinded all his walls and as the dust cleared, she could see that the red hair was splayed out on the ground, unmoving.

 _Honk!_

"Team Nagano and Kirishima have passed!"

Now that Cementoss had pointed it out, Neon felt the hollowness of her victory. She had let her annoyance get the best of her. She went over to Kirishima and she threw his arm over her shoulder. She pulled him out of the exam stage herself, feeling the guilt in every heavy step she took.

By the time she got to the gate, he was starting to come to.

"E-Eh? Neon? Did we win?"

"No…" Neon said, "It was a complete failure on both our ends."

When they reached outside of the monitoring room, Neon was surprised that the first person to come up to them was Mineta.

"Well? How was it? TELL ME!" he shouted to Kirishima.

"It was really hard. Cementoss-," Kirishima started to say.

"NO! Being carried out by Neon! What did it feel like? What did it smell like?! Your face was right there, man!"

"Huh?" Kirishima asked, "What are you talking about?"

"HER BOOBS!"

"What the hell?" Neon gasped while Kirishima turned a bright red.

 _Thwack!_

"SCUMBAG!" Jiro yelled as she came running across the room and sent a huge punch across Mineta's face.

"You okay?"

Neon turned and she shrugged at Todoroki. "It's fine. It's Minetta. I'm getting used to it."

"No...I meant...The exam...We couldn't hear what you were saying but you looked really sad at the end. What happened?"

"I said it's fine," Neon said with a shrug. She walked past him towards the monitoring room but then suddenly, he grabbed her wrist so she couldn't go any further. She looked at him in surprise.

"I'm here if you need to talk about it."

Neon forced a grin and she pulled her hand away from his. "Thanks but there really is no need to worry. I passed! Training camp. Woohoo!"

He didn't say a word and Neon rolled her eyes.

"Come on. Don't you have your own exam to worry about?" she asked, desperate to change the subject.

"Ah…" Todoroki said, "I have a plan in mind."

"Of course you do," Neon said, "I mean...you and Momo are a pretty solid team. I'm sure you're going to pass this one."

Todoroki nodded. "Yes. She is a reliable and dependable person. With that, her critical thinking, and Quirk abilities, she is an ideal partner."

Neon suddenly felt a pang in her chest and it caught her off guard.

"Y-Yeah," Neon said, forcing herself to ignore that strange sensation, "She's not the deputy class rep for nothing."

"Yeah. One of her votes was from me. I thought she was best suited for that role."

Neon found it hard to keep up her laid back attitude anymore. She felt the overwhelming urge just to be alone.

"I'm...going to go to the bathroom," Neon said.

"Okay. I'll continue watching in the monitor room. I'll see you there," Todoroki said.

Neon hurriedly retraced her steps and exited the waiting area. When she got to the bathroom, she splashed cold water on her face and then stared at her dripping reflection.

 _What the hell's wrong with you, Neon? Why are you acting so weird?_

She scowled at herself and then reached for a paper towel. As she dried her hands, her mind flashed to when Todoroki had grabbed her wrist. He had come out of that room just to check up on her. He had noticed something was wrong.

The pang in her chest returned but this time there was a lasting ache to it.

"What the fuck?" she asked out loud as she wadded up the paper towel and dunked it into the bin. She leaned up against the wall and stared up at the tiled ceiling.

She took a few deep breaths and tried to sort through her convoluted emotions. She was just upset about her performance in her exam. That's all...And for her to react that way when he called Momo reliable and dependable was only natural since she felt the opposite of that about herself currently. That was it. She was just feeling down about herself.

Well, there was never a bigger waste of time in Neon's mind than a pity party. She just needed to shake it off, grab herself by the bootstraps, and do something about it.

"Get...a...grip, Neon," she told herself out loud, letting her voice bounce along the sterile room. She took one determined look in the mirror and nodded at herself, "Get a grip."


	28. Sounds Like We're Going to Training Camp

**Ch 28 - Sounds Like We're Going to a Training Camp**

"E-Everyone. I'm looking forward to hearing your stories...about training camp!" Mina shouted with a harsh sob before smashing her head down on her desk in despair.

Neon froze at the doorway to their classroom and raised an eyebrow. "Good...morning to you too?" she said slowly before stepping in with Todoroki behind her.

A dark cloud was casted over Denki, Mina, and Sato. All three had failed miserably under Principal Nezu's psychotic test. Neon did feel some pity towards them. The challenge rating on that rodent was just too high.

"Don't say that! There might be a last minute twist!" Midoriya said with a hopeful cheer from his desk.

Sero put a hand on Midoriya's shoulder while exchanging a sullen look with Kirishima. "Stop, Midoriya. If you say it out loud, it'll probably jinx it. Besides, Kirishima and my fate are undecided at this point. Our teams passed thanks to our partners but...we were both unconscious and contributed almost nothing to the win. And since we don't know how they're scoring it..."

Neon's posture drooped slightly when she heard those words. Yeah...If they were grading it based on teamwork, she definitely got a big fat zero.

"Hey! Neon?"

Neon paused on her way to her desk and saw Kirishima scratching the back of his head. 'I just...wanted to apologize."

"What? Why?" Neon asked.

"I didn't really listen to you and just rushed in," Kirishima laughed sheepishly, "Looking back, you did try to stop me a few times. Right? Sorry about that."

Neon shook her head. "No. I should apologize. I shouldn't have left you there. Even if you weren't listening, I should've pulled you along with me or something…"

"Eh." Kirishima shrugged cheerfully. "It's fine. What's done is done. No hard feelings, right?"

Neon smiled. "Yeah…"

"Once the bell rings, sit your butts down and be quiet!" Aizawa said as he burst into the room.

Immediately, the students rushed to their seats and an absolute silence fell over the room.

"Mornin'," Aizawa drawled, "Unfortunately, there are those who did not pass the final exams...Accordingly, for the training camp in the woods, everyone's going."

"PLOT! TWIST!" Denki and Mina shouted.

"Really?!" Sato asked.

Aizawa nodded. "Some failed but no one failed the written exam. In the practical, Kirishima, Kaminari, Ashido, Sato, and Sero failed."

"I knew it," Sero and Kirishima sighed as they hung their heads.

"For this time's exam, we on the villain side made sure to leave a way for the students to win while watching to see how you all would take on the task at hand. If we hadn't, most of you would've gotten stuck before you started," their teacher continued, "In the first place, the training camp in the woods is one to increase strength. So those who failed need it the most. They have to get stronger."

"But we thought only those who passed could go to the training camp!" Sato gasped.

Aizawa grinned, which made him look even more tired than usual. "It was a rational falsehood."

"A RATIONAL FALSEHOOD?" his students exclaimed.

"I...I was tricked again...As expected from UA," Tenya said as he clenched his fists. Then he leapt to his feet, "HOWEVER, since you lied to us twice, our faith in you will waver, Sensei!"

"That's true...I'll consider that," Aizawa said slowly, "But I wasn't lying about everything...Failure is failure. We have prepared a separate time for extra lessons for you all. Frankly, it'll be tougher than the extra lessons you'd get if you stayed at school."

He handed out the pamphlet that outlined all the information they needed for the week of training camp. Neon noticed that the specifications of their schedules were purposefully left out. They just had a block that said "training".

With that, the classroom moved into their standard lessons without any of the teachers mentioning anything more about training camp. Still, by the time they were dismissed for the day, everyone was as excited for their summer excursion as they were when they received the news.

"A week of training camp, huh?" Tenya asked as he looked at the list of supplies needed, "We will need to bring a lot of things with us."

"I'm going to need to buy a lot of it," Denki said, "Like a bathing suit."

"And night vision goggles!" Minetta exclaimed.

"Then I'm going to need a taser," Neon shot back.

"Or a tranquilizer gun," Jiro said with a nod to Neon.

"Oh! Then since we're off tomorrow and we just finished our exams, why don't we all go shopping together as a class?" Hagakure suggested.

"Great idea!" Denki shouted, "Oh! Wouldn't this be the first time we all hung out together?"

"Oy! Bakugo. You're coming!" Kirishima cried as Bakugo started to head for the door.

"Like I'd do something so irritating," Bakugo stated.

"Will you come too, Todoroki-kun?" Midoriya asked.

Todoroki shook his head. "I go visit my mom on our days off."

"What about you, Neon-san?" Tenya asked and Neon smiled.

"I gotta go visit Akia tomorrow."

"But don't forget about Sunday!" Mina shouted and Neon chuckled.

The girls had planned to use the school's pool on Sunday. Since they weren't allowed to take long trips over the summer, it was the best option they had to blow off some steam after the finals and before the training camp.

"Ah," Neon said.

The next day, Neon found out over the news like the rest of the country about Shigaraki showing up at the mall where her classmates were. She had texted Midoriya, Tenya, and Ochaco as soon as she heard but got barely any details back. They were okay and nothing happened so that was all that matters.

Still, she was eager to meet up with the girls on Sunday to hear more about their day at the mall. She was quite surprised to find that the boys had shown up too. Everyone was wearing their school provided swimsuit.

"What are you guys doing here?" Hagakure asked as she kicked her feet in the pool.

"Midoriya-kun texted all of us to see if we would like to participate in some light endurance training!" Tenya said with his hand high up in the air, "It is an appropriate way to spend our day off!"

"Have fun," Neon joked as she batted a beach ball towards Momo.

"This is not about fun, Neon-san. It's-"

"I know. I know," Neon laughed.

 _Thwack!_

While she was distracted, the beach ball came back and hit Neon right in her forehead.

"Sorry!" Jiro shouted while Neon stuck her tongue out and rubbed the point of impact.

"It's okay. I should've been looking."

"You know...You've changed a lot since school started," Mina said with a grin, "When we first met, you were so serious and reserved…"

Neon winced. "Sorry."

"Oh! I wasn't saying you were bad," Mina exclaimed while Tsu jumped in with the save.

" _Ribbit._ She's just saying, Neon-chan, that you seem a lot happier now and that makes us happy for you."

"Yes! Exactly," Mina said as Neon shifted uncomfortably.

"Well, before..it was kind of dangerous for me to have friends," Neon said slowly, "But...it wasn't totally because of that...Usually people piss me off or waste my time...But I don't feel that way with you guys...I guess what I'm trying to say is that I like all of you."

"Awww. We like you too!" Hagakure laughed as she sprang in and pushed everyone towards Neon for a big group hug.

"Get outta my way! I'm going to SWIM!"

"Oh god," Neon moaned as she looked over at Bakugo, who stormed out of the boy's locker room with a vengeance against the pool itself, "Who invited him?"

"K-Kacchan?!" Midoriya gasped.

"I got your message but sorry I'm late," Kirishima laughed as he ran up from behind Bakugo, "It took some time to get Bakugo to come."

"Hey! Damn, Deku! You wanna decide things right now? Huh?!" Bakugo exclaimed with explosions bursting out of his hands.

"No...That's not…" Midoriya protested.

"That's actually not a bad idea," Tenya said, "Everyone! Do you want to see which of the boys can swim 50 meters the fastest?"

"That sounds like fun. The girls can help time and be the judges!" Momo shouted, backing up her class rep.

"What about Quirks? Can we use them?" Ojiro asked.

"I'll let the judges decide," Tenya said.

"Obviously," Jiro said as she folded her arms across her chest, "Otherwise, it'll be no fun."

"But no damaging each other or the pool itself," Momo quickly added.

"That is very fair! Thank you, judges!" Tenya said with a bow.

"Hey...I have an idea…" Neon said with a grin. She whispered to the girls her plan and they all nodded eagerly at her pitch.

"Girls...hide me…" Momo said as she turned away from the boys and pulled down the top of her swimsuit. Quickly, the girls formed a wall around her and Jiro shot a death glare at Mineta. Any sudden movements and she'd slaughter him with her bare hands. A light shined out from the from of Momo and she hurriedly slipped her swimsuit back on and showed them that she had made a whistle, 6 white boards, and 6 black markers.

Neon took it from her and slipped it over her neck. She went to the end of the pool and she clapped her hands. "Alright! Who's first?"

Minetta, Tokoyami, Koda, Bakugo, and Denki went up to the starting blocks and they readied themselves.

"Let's start this then. On the sound of my whistle. Ready?"

 _Beep!_

"Explosive Speed Turbo!" Bakugo shouted as he flew over the pool with his hands blasting behind him. He skidded when his foot touched the other side of the pool and he thrust a fist into the air triumphantly.

"How about that?!"

"Okay...Bakugo wins this first round," Neon said and then turned to the girls, "Judges?"

"Eh?! What the hell is this about?" Bakugo demanded as Momo, Jiro, Ochaco, Tsu, Mina, and Hagakure held up their boards with different numbers on them.

"7, 5, 7, 6, 7, 8," Neon read out loud, "Okay, 40 out of 60 for Bakugo on execution!"

"WHAT?! Execution?!" Bakugo demanded, "And why the hell did I get a 5?!"

"It wasn't original," Jiro defended as the other girls nodded in agreement, "We've seen you do that before and you didn't even touch the water. Doesn't count as swimming. Bad execution!"

"I will execute _you_!"

 _Beep! Beep!_

"No threatening the judges. 5 point deduction," Neon said.

"WHAAAT?!"

"Want to make it 10?"

Bakugo scowled and he stormed away from the pool. "These rules are STUPID!"

"Hey. You guys agreed that girls can be judges," Neon grinned, "Alright! Who's up next?"

Now it was Sero, Aoyama, Kirishima, Sato, and Todoroki's turn.

"Ready?" Neon called out.

 _Beep!_

Sero and Aoyama took the skies with their Quirks, which ended up being a mistake since they got entangled in Sero's tape and splashed down into the water while Todoroki skated forward on his ice, almost like he was surfing. At the last second, he raised the ice into a ramp and flew off the top, doing a double somersault, before landing right next to Neon.

"Nice, Neon grinned and then turned to the girls, "And what did the judges feel about that?!"

The girls held up their signs and Neon whistled.

"Wow….9, 8, 9, 9, 9, and a perfect 10 from Hagakure!" Neon announced, "54 points out of 60, an almost near perfect score! Can anybody get past Jiro's discerning eye?!"

"Again...seen it before," Jiro said with a shrug, "But the landing was cool. "

"Alright. Next?"

Next up was Koda, Denki, Tenya, Midoriya, Ojiro, and Shoji's turn.

 _Beep!_

This one almost everybody actually did swim. The only one who wasn't was Tenya, who skated through on the floats that marked each lane. It seemed like he would be the winner but then a flash of green sparked from Midoriya's lane and his hand slapped the end of the pool just a second before Tenya reached it.

 _Beep! Beep!_

"Almost a photo finish with Midoriya's win!" Neon shouted, "Sorry, Iida-kun."

"WOWWWW!" the boys and girls cheered, "That was amazing!"

"You beat me, Midoriya-kun," Tenya said with a grin, "Great job."

"And what do the judges think?!" Neon asked and then her eyes widened at the scores, "PERFECT SCORE! WHAT?!"

"Really?!" Midoriya gasped.

"Congrats, Midoriya!" Neon laughed as she threw her arm over his shoulder and tousled his green hair, "Now...Let's see if any of the judges want to explain their scores."

"You actually swam," Jiro stated bluntly, "And...it was an exciting win. I was entertained."

"SO IT'S NOT ABOUT EXECUTION! IT'S ABOUT WHAT YOU GUYS FIND ENTERTAINING?!" Bakugo shouted in the background.

"Well, duh…" Neon said, "The scores don't mean anything but at least let us have our fun."

"WHAT?!"

 _Beep! Beep!_

"Another 5 point deduction for attitude!"

"Shut up! The points don't mean anything!"

 _Beep!_

"Another 5."

"Screw you!"

"100 point deduction!"

"WHAT?! Now I'm at a negative?!"

Neon grinned. "I thought you said the points don't mean anything."

"I WILL KILL YOU!" Bakugo shouted as he struggled against Kirishima's hold.

"You could do that," Neon said, "Or you could race the other winners to see who is first place?"

Her words sent a lightning bolt through Bakugo. "Ah...DEKU! Half-and-Half! Let's do this!...And don't hold back this time!"

"Simple minded idiot," Neon chuckled as the three boys got on the starting blocks, "Ready?"

 _Beep!_

 _Splash!_

"EHHH?!" the class exclaimed when the boys practically fell into the water with limbs flailing.

"It's 5pm…" Aizawa said sternly with his red eyes flashing, "Your pool use time has now ended. Hurry up and go home."

 _Beep! Beep!_

"The winner of this swim tournament is Aizawa Sensei with impeccable timing," Neon shouted.

The boys begrudgingly accepted the turn out and everyone got ready to change and head home. When she walked out of the locker room, she was taken aback to see Todoroki standing there waiting for her.

"We take the same train," he stated as if she had forgotten.

"I didn't say anything," Neon said.

As they walked towards the station, the sun started to set, casting an orange glow on the street and the trees that lined it.

"Who do you think would've won?" Todoroki asked.

"On that last race?"

"Yeah."

Neon shrugged. "It's anybody's game."

"What do you think of Midoriya's Quirk?"

"Huh?" Neon tripped on her step and would've face planted if not for Todoroki's quick reflexes. He shot out his arm and she grabbed it just in time. "Thanks…"

"I'm not prying about his relationship with All Might," Todoroki said, "I would never put you in a hard spot like that. I'm merely asking your opinion about Midoriya's Quirk. Do you think he's stronger than me?"

"You're both strong," Neon said.

"Is that your honest opinion?" Todoroki asked quietly, "Or are you just saying it to spare my feelings?"

"What?" Neon shook her head as if that would help clear the confusion, "Just say what you really want to ask!"

"Fine," Todoroki sighed and then he looked solemnly at Neon, "Do you think Midoriya would be a better hero than me?"

"I…" Neon started to say and then she stopped since she honestly didn't know.

"I see…" Todoroki drew back his arm and he walked away from her.

 _Shit...Is he mad at me? Did I offend him?_

They walked in silence to the train station, on the train, and even when Nemo got off at her stop, they didn't even speak a word or look at each other. When Neon got home, she pulled out her phone and stared at the screen.

She wanted to text him but she didn't know what to say...Just like how she didn't when he asked right there on the spot.

Todoroki compared to Midoriya? They were better than each other in different areas! It wasn't up to her to decide how great of a hero they were or could be. It will always be up to the ones they save! That's the only opinion that matters. Not hers.

The more she thought about it, the more frustrated she got. Why did he even ask her that? It was a pointless question!

On the other side of the neighborhood, Todoroki laid on his futon in his tatami-style room, stared at his phone and thought the exact same thing.

Why the hell did he even ask her that? It put her in a bad spot and he knew it. However, he had such an urge to ask her that it came out before he could stop himself.

He wanted to know her opinion. He wanted to hear what she thought about Midoriya...and about him…

What did she think about him?

A lump formed in Todoroki throat and he swallowed it down. She made him uncomfortable since the very first day of school. She unsettled him in almost every way. She was erratic and emotional yet smart and reserved as well. She was so hard to understand sometimes…

But that's why he liked talking to her.

She saw the world so differently than him. It offered him a different perspective of things that he found refreshing and often times helpful.

So...how did she see him?


	29. Sounds Like a Training Camp I

**Ch 29 - Sounds Like A Training Camp**

"Whhhat? There are people in Class A taking extra classes? Does that mean you had people who failed the finals? What?! Isn't that weird? Seriously! Isn't that weiiiird?! I thought you guys were supposed to be better than usssss!"

Neon grimaced at the blonde boy from Class 1B named Monoma, who was yelling out to them in the school parking lot with a haughty smile on his face. She raised her hand, about to bubble him into silence when Iida calmly pulled her wrist downwards.

"It's okay, Neon-san...Let their class rep handle this," he said.

 _Thwack!_

Right on cue, Kendo, an orange haired girl came up behind the boy and hit him smartly in the neck. "Sorry!" she called out.

The rest of Class B came out and Neon tilted her head to the side. Some of them she remembered from the sports festival but the majority were entirely new to her.

"Excuse me…" Neon said as she approached a girl with long horns on her head, "Could I please take a picture of you? I think my baby sister will think you're really cute."

"Eh?! Me? Thank you very much!" the girl with the longhorns exclaimed. She clapped her hands together and struck a pose, complete with a foot pop. Neon didn't even pull out her phone yet.

"Oh...Wow. That took no convincing," Neon muttered as she managed to snap a picture and send it to Akia.

"I'm Pony!" the girl exclaimed as she held out her hand, "Nice to meet you!"

"...Pony?" Neon said slowly as she tentatively shook the girl's hand, "I'm Neon…You have a slight accent. Are you from the States?"

The girl nodded emphatically. "Yes! I just moved here because of my parents."

"Hey! We're getting on the bus!" Kendo called out as she waved her class over to the two buses that just pulled in. Then she dragged Monoma's limp body into the one closest to her.

 _Beep! Beep!_

"Class 1A! Please form two lines by seat number and-," Tenya started to call out with a familiar silver whistle around his neck.

"Ugh. That damn whistle," Neon moaned as she cupped her ears, "Now he's going to be even more unbearable."

"Come on, Neon!" Hagakure exclaimed, linking her arm with Neon's and pulling her towards the line.

They boarded the bus and then Neon hesitated in when she remembered who she was assigned to sit next to. Todoroki glanced at Neon for a just a swift second before turning his head and looked out the window.

"Oy! Iida-kun," Neon shouted as she spun on her feet and looked at the class rep, "We don't _have_ to sit in order right?"

"Ah! Yes. Indeed," Tenya said, "This is just to make the boarding process that much more efficient."

"Great," Neon said as she sat down in the row behind Todoroki and across the aisle from him, distancing herself as much as possible. If he was mad at her, why make this long ride uncomfortable for the both of them?

"Yay! I'm so relieved," Hagakure sighed as she sank in the seat beside Neon and then dropped her voice into a whisper, "If you didn't say anything, I'd end up with _Bakugo_."

"Oh, yeah...That would suck," Neon agreed.

From his seat, Todoroki leaned his head against his hand and continued to stare out the window. _Damn. She's still mad._

The trip took about an hour before they made a pit stop. Neon had assumed they'd stop at a gas station or at least the public restroom, mostly for Minetta's sake since he had been very vocal about his need to urinate 20 minutes into the bus ride. When the class disembarked, they found themselves staring out at a fenced in cliff, overlooking a vast forest.

 _Photo op?_ , Neon thought with a raised eyebrow, _Get one good class picture in before they drive us to the brink of death?_

"Does this count as a rest stop?" Denki asked, "Are there at least any vending machines?'

"There's no point stopping without a reason," Aizawa said.

A black car pulled up and the front doors opened.

"Yo, Eraser!" came a bright feminine voice.

Aizawa automatically bowed his head. "Long time no see," he said.

Two women dressed in cat costumes, one in baby blue and one in baby pink, jumped out of the vehicle with their short skirts swishing in the air.

"Lock on with these sparkling gazes!" the woman in the pink cried.

"Strikingly cute and catlike!" the woman in blue cheered.

"Wild...Wild...Pussycats!" they finished in unison, striking a back to back pose with their paws curled out in front of them.

The door to the backseat opened and a young boy in a red hat came sullenly out of it.

"These are pro heroes who will be working with us during the camp, the Pussycats," Aizawa explained.

Immediately, Midoriya leapt in with excitement. "They're a four-person hero team who up a joint agency! They're a veteran team that specializes in mountain rescues! This year will be their twelfth working-"

 _Bam!_

Suddenly, the woman in blue smacked her heavy gloves in Midoriya's face, completely silencing him in one strike.

"I'm 18 at heart!" she thundered.

"Greet them!" Aizawa ordered.

"Nice to meet you," the students chorused.

"We own this whole stretch of land here," the woman in pink said as she gestured to the forest below. "You all will be staying at the foot of that mountain."

"So remote!" the class gasped.

"Then...why did we stop here?" Ochaco asked.

 _Oh crap..._ Neon thought as she tried to figure out just how far the fall would be from the cliff down to the forest.

"It's 9:30am right now…" the woman in pink said, "If you're fast...maybe around noon?"

"Oh no!" Kirishima shouted as he ran towards the bus, "Everyone back on the bus now!"

"Kitties who don't make it by 12:30 won't get any lunch!" the woman in pink shouted.

"Sorry, ladies and gentlemen," Aizawa said as the woman in blue jumped in their way and flashed her claws, "The training camp...starts now."

The woman in blue put her paw to the ground and suddenly, the ground was like an ocean wave. Curling up and around the students, pushing them over the edge of the cliff and to the forest floor.

 _Thud!_

"Oyyy! It's private land. You can use your Quirks as you wish!" the woman in pink called after them.

"Now she tells us," Neon grumbled. She cracked her back, feeling the start of a bruise on her lower hip.

"You have three hours! Come to the facility on your own two feet...Good look getting through...the Beast's Forest!"

"Eh?! The Beast's Forest?" Hagakure shrieked as she grabbed Neon's hand.

"It's no use complaining. We have to move forward!" Kirishima shouted as Minetta raced into the forest, clutching his groin.

"RAAAAAAAAAWRRR!" roared a four legged creature. It came out of the shadows and they could see the moss and vines that draped over it's back like matted fur.

"AH! A beast!" Hagakure shouted as Minetta tearfully looked back at them.

"I...went…" he sobbed.

"Calm down, kind beast!" Kado pleaded, "Please stay back!"

"Kado, watch out!" Midoriya shouted as the beast swiped his heavy claw towards Minetta.

"HE SAID STAY BACK!" Neon roared, with her finger pointed at the base of her throat. Her amplified voice shook the creature and then to the students' surprise, the beast started to crack and little pieces of debris begin to sprinkle down on the floor.

"It's...dirt?" Midoriya gasped.

Neon's eyes narrowed as she rushed forward. "That cat lady's Quirk can manipulate earth. This is all a test, guys! Come on!"

Just as she was about to shout and break the beast for good, his two arms suddenly got blasted off. One by Tenya's speedy kick and one by Bakugou's explosive punch.

"Neon! Watch out!" Todoroki shouted.

Neon jumped to the side as a road of ice formed from behind her and froze the beast's remaining limbs in place.

"Smash…!" Midoriya came flying through the air and landed the finishing blow right to the beast's head, crumbling it into pieces.

"Wow. You guys killed it so easily! Good job!" Sato said.

"Are you guys idiots?" Neon snapped, "If it was that easy, why would they give us THREE hours to run through this forest? It would take us only two to run through if it was just a straight road.!"

"She's right. We're not done!" Bakugou shouted as the sounds of twigs snapping and leaves rustling came echoing towards them.

"What...should we do? Run away?" Mina asked.

"We have no choice but to get through here and take the shortest route," Momo said, "And we need to stay close together, or at least within sight! It'll be more efficient to get through this as a group."

"Agreed," Todoroki said with a nod, that earned a small blush from Momo and a feeling in Neon's chest that she did not care for at all.

"All right. Let's go, Class A!" Tenya shouted.

"Yeah!"

"Shoji, Jirou! Scout out if any are approaching. Noisy Boy, Midoriya, Todoroki, Kirishima! Stay at the front for offense. Ojiro, Tokoyami, Tenya! You guys stay in the middle and use your agility in case anyone strays off in the group. Denki, stay in the center as well. Electricity is weak against stone so don't bother using your Quirk unless you absolutely have to. Mina, Aoyama, Sero, and Sato! You all handle the back. Leave an acid path and then break or bind any pieces that manages not to melt. The rest of us, keep an eye out for any attacks from the side!" Neon shouted, "Got it?"

A hush fell over the group that made Neon second guess if she had voiced her thoughts out loud.

"Whoa…" Kirishima whispered while the rest of the class blinked at Neon.

"I SAID, GOT IT?!" Neon demanded.

"Yes, sir!" Denki and Mina yelled with a solemn salute.

"Tch," Neon said, not taking kindly to being called sir but she didn't want to waste breath in arguing.

They moved in formation as the beasts swarmed in. One by one, they took down the beasts but it seemed like an endless battle. They started off running but by the time they got to camp, everyone was walking at a snail's pace. Tenya and some others were even limping. Dirt and grime covered their clothes and skin. The cacophony of stomachs growling was undeniable but no one had even energy to voice any discomfort. It was closer to dinner than lunch time. They had all given up on lunch hours ago.

"What do you mean, three hours?" Kirishima panted as he fell to his knees, "I'm so hungry...I could die!"

"Nekunekuneku!" the woman in blue laughed, "Three hours is how long it would take _us_ to get through. But honestly, I thought it would take you guys even longer than this. You guys didn't have as hard a time beating my earth beasts as I thought you would! You guys are great, especially you four!"

She pointed her paws out at Tenya, Midoriya, Todoroki, and Bakugo.

"Were you guys able to act without hesitation because of your experience?"

"Hey! Neon acted too," Hagakure piped up and pushed Neon towards the front of the group.

"I wasn't much help," Neon said, stumbling forward. Too tired to even walk properly, "It was mostly those four who did most of the pulverizing."

"Yeah...But you kept us organized and made sure we stayed together," Denki said.

"It doesn't matter…" the woman in blue said as she licked her lips, "Because I look forward to how you four develop in the next three years! I call dibs!"

She raced forward with her lips puckering and Neon's shoulder sagged in disbelief.

"So she was just trying to hit on some minors...What a pedo-cat," Neon muttered and then raised her hand, "Sensei...I don't feel comfortable around this woman...And I certainly have some worries about that kid over there."

Neon pointed at the kid in the hat and the woman in pink laughed. "Don't mind Pixie Bob! She's just at that age where it's time to marry and settle down...As for this kid, he's my cousin's kid. Come on, Kota...Greet everyone. You'll be with them for the next week."

"Um..I'm Midoriya from UA High School's hero course," Midoriya said as he managed to get away from the kissing cat lady. He went over to the kid and stuck out his hand, "Nice to meet you."

 _Boom!_

Without hesitation, the kid punched Midoriya right in his manhood. Around her, Neon could hear the male classmates wince and groan emphatically.

"Midoriya-kun!" Tenya yelled as he raced to his friend, who was having trouble just breathing through the pain, "You brute of a nephew! Why would you do that to Midoriya's scrotum?"

The nephew turned and glared at them from the corner of his eyes. "I don't intend to hang out with guys who want to become heroes!" he spat.

"Tch. Precocious brat," Bakugo said with amusement.

"Oy, brat...You just got the stamp of approval from the worst guy in our class," Neon said and jutted a thumb at Bakugo, "Congrats. If you keep up with that attitude, you won't find anyone to hang out with. Not just heroes."

"Don't talk to me like you know me!" Kota yelled.

"OY! Who are you calling the worst?!" Bakugo shouted at the same time.

Neon shook her head. "I rest my case."

"Enough with this charade. Get your stuff off the bus," Aizawa said, "Once you've put your bags in your rooms, we'll have dinner in the cafeteria. After that, you'll bathe and go to sleep. We'll start for real tomorrow. Now...move quickly."

The students hustled as fast as their tired muscles could take them. The girls ended up staying in one big room with tatami mats and futons already laid out for them. Neon took the futon closest to the door. The only person who would be sleeping next to her was Mina.

When they got to the outdoor dining area, they found a bountiful spread waiting for them in long wooden tables. Neon never had much of an appetite normally but as soon as she saw the plate of tempura, her mouth started to salivate.

She was like a starved drifter, who finally got a hot meal after months in the wild. She didn't talk as she was too busy savoring the delicious, crunchy fried shrimp. She let Tenya, Ochaco, and Midoriya do most of the conversating, which was the norm anyways. Every once in awhile she would glance over at Todoroki, who was sitting around Tokoyami, Sero, and Tsu.

She had the urge to go up and hash things out but at the same time, she was quite aware that if he was still mad at her, it was entirely his fault. He was the one who asked that stupid question and if he wasn't satisfied with her answer, that wasn't her fault either!

Suddenly, he was looking at her too and she quickly averted her eyes.

 _Shit! Why did I do that? Now he thinks I'm avoiding him. Just pretend you were just looking around. Act cool._

Neon looked over at Ochaco, who was slurping down the last of her miso soup. "Hey...I'm ready to go to take a bath. You want to come?"

Ochaco set her bowl down and she smiled. "Yeah! A soak in the hot spring would be so nice after such a long day."

Neon forced a smile, not knowing if Todoroki was still looking her way or not. "Let's go."

"Eh? Are you guys going to the baths?" Mina asked as she got up to her seat, "I'll come too!"

"Me too!"

"Wait for me...I'm almost done."

One by one the girls got out of their seats and they went together to the hot springs. Throughout that, Neon didn't speak much either. She wanted to chalk it up to exhaustion but in reality, she just didn't want to talk to anyone. She gave one word answers here and there when the girls engaged her in conversation but that was about it.

When she finished her bath, instead of returning to the room with the other girls, she went out to the front porch and sat on the steps. Now that she was living in the city again, she hadn't seen the night sky so clear in awhile. She realized that despite how much she hated her life in her old house, she did miss the peace and stillness of living remotely. The familiar sound of wind rustling through the leaves brought a smile to her face as she leaned back on her hands and admired the stars.

She heard the sound of the door opening behind her. Before she could turn, Todoroki sat down next to her on the step and her smile vanished.

"Can we talk?" he asked, staring forward at the porch steps.

"...About?"

"You know…"

Neon sighed, not moving to look at him either. "Are you going to ask me for a definitive answer this time?"

"No."

"Then what is it?"

"I'm sorry."

"Huh?" Neon sat up straighter and she looked at Todoroki, who was looking back at her solemnly.

"I made you uncomfortable," Todoroki said, "For that...I am sorry. I...I just wanted your opinion."

"I don't have an opinion on who's a stronger hero," Neon said, "That's not how I see things."

"I know...That's why I asked you...To find out what you do see…"

"In Midoriya?"

"...In me."

Neon blinked. "What?"

"I...I value your opinion," Todoroki said, "So I want to know what kind of hero do you see me becoming?"

 _Pfft._

Todoroki watched in confusion as the girl covered her mouth. Then her snort became a chuckle...which in turn grew to a full laugh.

"Really? That's what this is all about?" Neon asked, feeling simultaneously like a weight had lifted off her shoulders and her spirit was floating upwards as well, "Why didn't you just ask me that then?"

"I...I'm not as good with expressing myself as you are," Todoroki said.

"Clearly," Neon said.

"So? What is your opinion?"

Neon chuckled. "I think you will be whatever hero you want to be."

"...I don't understand."

Neon smiled. "I think there will be many doors open to you...not just because of your Quirk but because you have a good head on your shoulders. You just have to decide which one to walk through."

"Thanks…"

"And here I thought you were mad at me…" Neon sighed.

"What? I thought you were mad at _me_ ," Todoroki said.

"Oh god...Maybe I'm not as good as expressing myself as you think," Neon groaned and put her hand to her face, "Look...If I'm mad at you, I would tell you. Okay?"

"...Same."

Neon held out her hand. "Truce?"

"Ah...Truce," he said. He shook her hand and suddenly, she was very much aware of how warm his skin was and how tingly her palm was getting.

"Great," Neon said as she pulled her hand away and pretended to stretch her arms up over her head for a yawn, "Well...I am tired...I think I'm going to go get some sleep. Night, Todoroki."

"Ah...night."


	30. Sounds Like a Training Camp II

**Ch 30 - Sounds Like a Training Camp II**

"Aaah!"

 _Pop!_

"Aaaah!"

 _Pop!_

"Aaaah!"

It turned out that the focus of the training camp was the development of everyone's Quirks and in order to do so, each student had to push themselves to the extreme. For Neon, it was to keep shouting at the top of her lungs, strengthening her vocal chords, while also creating and popping as many sound barriers around her as she possibly could.

Neon screamed from the mountaintops with one finger at her throat and her other hand snapping away continuously. The sound barrier would unleash her screams out into the wild but then another one would come right back and muffle it. Neon could just imagine someone driving past, hearing this random scream, and thinking that this forest was haunted by a banshee with extreme hiccups.

On the other hand, she knew Kota was out there screaming and strengthening his vocal abilities as well.

 _So...two banshees.._

This was completely different from how she trained under Edgeshot. This wasn't about finessing and honing her Quirk. It was about brute strength and power.

She had to push past the ringing in her ears. Push past the soreness in her throat and her fingers. Push past every physical limit her body was used to having for her Quirk. She had to push past everything. Plus Ultra.

By the time Aizawa announced that the training for the day was over, Neon could not move the the first three fingers of her right hand and she cringed at the thought of even moving her lips ever so slightly. Of course, she didn't even register the announcement because of the goddamn ringing in her ears so Pixie Bob had to come get her and she was the last of her class to arrive for dinner. When she got there, she discovered that not only was dinner not being served, but that the students were in charge of cooking for themselves for the rest of the trip.

When dinner was finally ready, everyone gobbled up the food like it was the last meal they'd ever get. There wasn't as much talking as the previous night and the peace and quiet extended past their bath time. When it was finally time for bed, Neon was sleeping soundly as soon as her head hit the pillow. Her last thought was of Kirishima and how he had to stay up with the other ones who failed the practical exam for extra classes. Despite sleeping soundly, her dreams that night were riddled with guilt.

The next day it was breakfast and then back to business. As she started to climb up the mountain to her training spot, she heard Ragdoll call out to the class. "Everyone! We'll have a test of courage with the classes pitted against each other tonight! After training hard, you can play hard!"

 _Play hard? I'm not going to be able to say or hear anything by the end of tonight._ Neon thought in disbelief.

When she got to the mountain, she saw a familiar red hat go around the corner of a ridge on an opposite hilltop. She blinked. _Kota…? What's he doing so far away from his aunt?_

She looked around for a route to go to him, just to check to see if the kid is okay, and then yelped when she came close to bumping right into her teacher.

"Why are you dawdling?" Aizawa asked monotonously, "Don't think you can take it easy just because you passed your practical exam. If the passing grade was a 30, you would've gotten scored about a 40 at best."

Neon winced. "You know, Aizawa Sensei," she croaked, "I'm willing to take extra classes with Kirishima as well. I don't feel like I passed that exam, to be honest."

"What you lack is not something I can teach," Aizawa said, "At least, not in these supplementary classes others are going through."

"Then...what am I lacking?" Neon asked.

"Heart."

"...Heart?!" Neon shouted, her voice breaking in the process, "You think I don't care?!"

"You care," Aizawa said, "But so far I've only seen you care only on the results and those who are closest to you...But what about the others?"

"Huh?"

"A hero is someone who will put their life on the line for a stranger and for the greater good. Are you willing to do that? I worry in the future that there is a possibility you would ditch a hero assignment to a stranger in lieu of saving a friend or family member...Like you did with Tenya during your internship," he said.

Her silence was deafening to the both of them.

"Now...go and train," Aizawa said and walked back down the mountain, "Stop wasting time."

"Yes, Sensei," Neon mumbled as she turned back to face the open air.

 _Pop!_

"Ahhh!"

When the sun finally set on their third day of training, Neon was too exhausted by the physical strain and too mentally preoccupied with Aizawa's assessment that she was in a sour mood when they started the test of courage.

"Do I really have to do this?," she wheezed to Tenya, who stuck his hand up in the air.

"Aizawa Sensei! Given Neon-san's physical condition, is it possible for her to sit out of this activity?"

"Here…," Aizawa said as he placed pieces of candy wrapped in yellow paper in her hand, "That should help."

"Lozenges?!"!" Neon rasped and looked at her teacher in disbelief.

"No one else is taking a break. Why should you?" her teacher said, "The point of this training is to push you past your limits...So consider this an additional exercise."

Neon angrily popped the honey and lemon cough drop in her mouth and scowled at the adults. She didn't want to admit it but it did seem to soothe her throat a little. Still, she kept her disgruntlement clearly fixed on her face for all to see.

"Okay! So Class B will be the first to be the scarers," Pixie Bob explained with too much joy and energy for Neon's liking, "Class A will leave in pairs every three minutes. There are tags with your names written on them in the middle of the route, so bring those back with you. Those being the scarers aren't allows to make direct contact. Show us how scary you are with your Quirks! And those who are going down the route, you cannot use your Quirks. This is a test of courage, after all!"

"The class that makes the most people piss their pants with creativity and imagination wins!" shouted the only male of the Wild Wild Pussycats team.

Neon sighed. Well, considering she couldn't hear as well then maybe this would just be a walk in the park for her.

Class 1B entered the dense forest while Class 1A drew lots to determine their partner and she tapped Tenya on the shoulder. They showed each other their numbers. He was 7 and she was 8.

"Ah! We are not on the same team…" he said and then thrust his hand back up into the air, "Who has been assigned to team 7?"

Neon poked him hard in the side and he winced in pain.

"Ow! And team 8!"

"Oh...I'm Team 8!" Midoriya shouted as he raced over while a very coy Koda approached Tenya and bowed his head.

Neon tapped Koda on the shoulder and she pointed at her throat. "How are you feeling?"

Koda blushed and he scratched the back of his head. "I'm...okay…" he said, his hesitation more because of the social interaction than the training itself.

Neon gave him some of her lozenges. Even if he wasn't as tired as she was, shouting all day out up in the mountains still was very tiresome. Koda's blush deepened and he bowed his head.

"Oy...Deku! Switch with me!" Katsuki growled as he stormed over with his paper gripped tightly in his hands.

"Kacchan?!" Midoriya gasped.

"I don't want to be on a team with you!" Neon hissed.

"Fine! Someone else switch with me!" Katsuki shouted, "You! Tail!"

Neon raised an eyebrow. She was already teamed with Midoriya so who in the world could Noisy Boy be that upset with being partnered with? She turned and saw Todoroki headed towards them by himself and Neon chuckled.

 _Oh...yeah...There's also him._

"You going to be okay?" Neon asked and Todoroki shrugged.

"Doesn't really matter. We just have to walk around and grab our names, right?"

"True," Neon said, "I don't see you getting scared by something like this."

"Same to you…" Todoroki said.

The teams lined up in their order and waited for them to enter. Up first was Shoji and Tokoyami. Then Katsuki and Todoroki went in 3 minutes later. One by one, the teams went into the forest and soon, even Neon could hear the screams of Hagakure, Jiro, and sometimes even Aoyama echoing out to them.

"Good luck," Neon whispered hoarsely to Ochaco and Tsu as they made their way in. Her well-wishes were secretly more directed at the gravity influencer since Tsu was such a calm person in nature, Neon didn't think she'd be too fazed by this experience.

When the two girls disappeared into the shadows, Neon turned to Midoriya, who had been mumbling almost nonstop about the potential scary things Class 1B could prepare for them.

"Are...you excited or nervous?" Neon asked with a raised eyebrow, "Because I can't tell."

Midoriya gasped and he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Ah...Sorry...I'm just anxious to see what they have in store for us."

"Do you get scared easily?" Neon asked and then she held out her hand, "Wanna hold hands?"

"WHAT?!" Midoriya's face darkened to a deep shade of red.

"Kidding," Neon laughed and returned her hand to the side, "Like I'd take that honor away from Ochaco."

"EHHHH?!" Steam started to rise up from Midoriya's heated face and Neon snorted out a laugh.

"Hey, you guys smell that?" Ojiro asked suddenly.

Neon was about to comment if it was the smell of Midoriya's face burning but Ojiro's tone was too serious and too alarmed for her not to take seriously. She sniffed the air and she shook her head.

"There's a burning smell," Pixie-Bob said with her eyes closed and her nose twitching.

"AH!" Midoriya yelled as he pointed over to a dip in the forest trees, "SMOKE!"

Black smoke rose up into the sky, clouding out the already minimal moonlight lighting up the forest horizon.

"Could there be a fire in the mountain?!" Tenya shouted.

Suddenly, Pixie-Bob glowed bright pink and she was pulled off her feet and into the forest.

"WHAT?!" she screamed.

 _Kabam!_

Just as she reached the edge of the trees, she was knocked down head first by a long, rectangular object wrapped in cloth. The object then went down on Pixie-Bob's head, pinning her to the ground, despite her already being unconscious.

"Those pet cats are in the way," a deep voice rumbled as two figures emerged from the shadows.

"Ojiro! Minetta! Get back!" Neon shouted as loudly as her vocal chords could allow.

A man with shoulder length brown hair, sunglasses over his eyes, and pouty lips smirked next to a lizard-like man with wavy purple hair and swords on his back.

"Pixie-Bob!" Midoriya cried as he raced over to the catwoman but was stopped by the rest of her team.

"No! Let us handle this," Mandalay commanded through gritted teeth.

 _Everyone!_ Neon suddenly heard Mandalay call out in her brain, _We're being attacked by two villains and there might be more of them. Everyone who can move, get back to camp immediately! Even if you come across the enemy, retreat and do_ not _engage!_

"How are you this evening, UA High school?" the lizard man shouted with his scaly arms outstretched, "We are the Vanguard Action Squad of the League of Villains!"

Neon scowled. "Tch, the League of Villains again? Don't they have better things to do than go after high school kids?"

"Shall I crush this girl's head?" the man in sunglasses laughed, "What d'you think?"

"Like I'd let you!" Tiger snarled.

"Wait up, Big Sis Mag! Don't be hasty!" the lizard man said, "You too, Tiger. It all depends on whether having power over life and death follows Stain's tenets or not."

"Stain?" Midoriya and Neon gasped as Tenya took a step forward.

"So you're the ones his ideology brought?" Tenya demanded. Hurriedly, Neon reached over and grabbed his arm, just in case he thought about going forward.

"That's right!" the lizard man shouted, "Oh yeah...You, with the glasses. You were the one who brought about the end of Stain at Hosu City. Let me introduce myself..."

He reached back and unraveled one of the weapons attached to his back. It had a handle of a sword but the actual body of the weapon were many blades of different shapes and sizes, bundled together with thick leather belts. "I'm Spinner, the one who will spin his dreams into reality."

"I don't care about that," Tiger spat, "The woman lying there, Pixie-Bob, has started worrying about getting married recently. She was doing her best to find happiness as a woman, despite her age. You can't damage that woman's face...and then just stand there laughing thoughtlessly about it!"

Spinner scowled and he raced forward. "What's a hero doing trying to be happy like the average person?!"

"Go, everyone!" Mandalay shouted to Neon and the remaining students, "Go back to camp! Tiger and I will hold them off here. We'll leave those in the forest to Ragdoll. Listen carefully, do _not_ fight! Class rep, you're in charge!"

"Understood!" Tenya said, "Everyone, let's-"

"Mandalay!" Midoriya shouted as everyone started to head for the camp, "I know where Kota is!"

"Eh?!" Neon screeched to a halt and she looked around. Now that Midoriya mentioned it, she hadn't seen the kid since…

She gasped. "I do too!"

Mandalay and Midoriya turned to her.

"I saw him during my training!"

Mandalay gulped. "Then...both of you...go retrieve him. Do not engage, do you understand?! Just get him and bring him back to camp."

"Hold it!" the lizard man suddenly shouted and his eyes narrowed in Neon's direction, "You...you were also there when the Hero Killer Stain was brought down. Aren't you? You're Nishiyama Neon with the Sound based Quirk! We have business with you."

The burly man next to Spinner snapped his eyes to Neon's too and Neon's spine stiffened.

"No. I'm Kyoko Jiro. There are two people with sound based Quirks in our class. She's in the forest," Neon said calmly, hoping to god the feline heroes could take care of these villains before they could go after the real Jiro.

Spinner took a step towards Neon but before he could question it any further, Tiger raised his arm to block his path and line of sight on Neon. "You're business is with us. Not the students."

"Go! You two. Leave this to us," Mandalay said.

Neon and Midoriya shared a glance. "Yes, ma'am!"

They ran off and when they got to the hill Neon last saw Kota, Midoriya started to jump up using the angle of the mountainside. Without a word, Neon double bubbled up her fists and raced after him. When they reached the upper part of the cliffs, they both saw at the same time a blonde beefy man with a black cape draped over his shoulder and one arm encased in raw, fleshy muscle, directed at a terrified Kota.

"Papa...Mama?" Neon heard him whimper.

"Midoriya!" Neon shouted.

"Ah! I got him!" Midoriya shouted, leaping forward and grabbing the child just as the fist of the villain broke the ground Kota was just resting on. Midoriya and Kota skidded off to the side, with Midoriya's phone shattering upon impact.

"Midoriya! Kota!" Neon said as she landed next to them and faced the villain.

"Hrm...One on the list...One not…" the man murmured with a prosthetic left eye and a nasty scar going down the left side of his face.

 _Shit. We're not supposed to engage...But we didn't even know a villain would actually be here...And I don't have my phone to call for backup. Tch! Stupid Aizawa. Why the hell did he choose today of all days to confiscate my phone?!_

"Neon. Take Kota and go," Midoriya said, "I'll hold him off."

"What?! You alone against this guy?" Neon asked, "There's no way I-"

"We have to protect Kota! That is the priority," Midoriya shouted, "We don't have any other choice!"

 _Would you ditch an assignment for a stranger in lieu of saving a friend or family member?_

"Fuck...Not now, Aizawa," Neon grumbled out loud at the voice in her head, realizing Midoriya's point. She could go and fetch backup too. She just needed to get away and hopefully come back fast enough for her friend's sake. She reached her hand towards the trembling child, "Come on, Kota! Take my hand."

"It's okay, Kota!" Midoriya shouted reassuringly, "We'll definitely save you!"

"Pwahahaha," the villain laughed, "Those are the words of a hero alright. Your kind show up everywhere, talking about justice. You're the one called Midoriya, right? This is perfect...We were told to take the initiative and kill you."

Neon's eyes widened. _What?!_

"I'll make sure to torment you thoroughly!" the villain howled. He ripped off his cloak, showing off the rippling muscles throughout his body and he raced towards Midoriya.

 _Thwack!_

His punch was blocked by Midoriya but only for a second before the boy was thrown hard against the mountainside, cracking the earth and falling to the ground.

"MIDORIYA!" Neon cried as she shoved Kota behind her. Courtesy be damned. She'll save the child's life and then try to soothe him later.

"Now now...we'll get to you in time," the man said with a smirk, "Oh...While we're at it...tell me...Where are the brats, Nishiyama and Bakugo?"

 _Noisy Boy! They want him too?_

"I still have a job to do, you know," the man said and he struck again at Midoriya, who didn't block this time. Instead, he jumped out of the way as dust and debris exploded on impact, covering Neon's view of the villain and vice versa.

 _Now's my chance!_

She quickly scooped up Kota on her back and raced for the cliff. "Kota! Scream for me!" she rasped.

"What?"

She jumped off the edge and of course, the child obliged whole-heartedly as they plummeted downwards.

"AHH-" Kota started to cry but before Neon could even snap her fingers and form a double bubble, the villain reached out, grabbed her by the ankle, crushing it with one hand before flinging both of them back onto the ridge.

"Shit," Neon hissed as she turned her body at the last minute so that she hit the ground with Kota cradled in her arms, protecting him from impact.

"I thought I told you, I'll get to you guys later!" the villain shouted gleefully.

"NEON! KOTA!" Midoriya screamed, racing towards them but then the villain was ready.

 _Boom!_

He kicked MIdoriya hard in the stomach, sending him once again smashing into the mountain side. Blood and dirt fell on to the floor first and then Midoriya's body followed soon after.

"Haha! Blood! This is great!" the villain howled, "It's what I wanted. This is so fun! What'd you say earlier? That you'd definitely save him? Why are you guys running away then? Huh?!"

"Kota…" Neon gasped, loosening up her arms to let the child breathe, "Are...Are you okay?"

"P-Papa...M-Mama..." the child cried softly.

Neon winced as she sat up still protecting Kota. Her entire leg was screaming with pain but she pushed it out of her mind. _Come on, Neon...Think! What do I do? Stay and fight with Midoriya? Or flee and keep Kota safe?_

"SMASHHHHH!" Midoriya yelled, launching himself in the air with his fist flashing in green energy.

The villain blocked the punch with his muscle exposed arm and he sneered. "What? That's your Quirk? You're pretty fast but not nearly strong enough!"

 _Wham!_

He sent Midoriya tumbling away with just a flick of his arm. "My Quirk lets me power-up my muscles. I increase my speed and strength by increasing the amount of muscle fibers so much. They can't be contained by my skin! In other words...you are a completely inferior version of me!"

"Sh...Shut up, you overstuffed sausage," Neon hissed as she pushed Kota away from her and kept herself on one leg, "You're too noisy."

"Oh...are you jumping in ahead of your turn?" the villain laughed, turning to Neon, "Don't worry...Nishiyama...You'll get your turn."

"No...What are you doing? Run! Run away!" Kota cried.

"I am not going to turn my back on a friend for the sake of others," Neon said, raising her chin and then lifting up her hands, "I'm not going to be the type of hero who has to choose...I'll be the kind who saves both."

Suddenly, bubbles of all different sizes came floating out from the vast forest and circled around Neon.

"Neon!" Midoriya gasped.

"You didn't think I would come here with just a duffle bag, did you?" Neon asked as she snapped her fingers, bubbling up her hands and used that to move her towards the villain with her fist drawn back, "BASS...DROP!"

The villain smirked and raised his arm to block her fist but just as she was about to connect, a large sound bubble came in between them and then it broke with her punch.

 _BOOOOOM!_

Her own physical power did nothing against the villain's strength but the strong soundwave of a deep bass drum amplified tenfolds and directed by her punch sent the villain skidding back several feet.

"Eh? Not bad," the villain smirked, "But not good enough…"

"Who said I was aiming to damage you with that? I just needed to get you away from Kota..." Neon said as she moved her hands together and the rest of the sound bubbles went shooting towards the villain, directed right to the side of his head, "EAR SHOT!"

 _Boom! Wub! Bang! Bwob! Clank! Beep! Vwomp!_

The villain lost his smile as he fell to one knee. "AHHH!" he yelled as he clutched his head with his hands.

"...The scar on your face...that means you can't form muscle there to protect it fully...And the last time I checked, there are no muscles inside your ears to protect your eardrums," Neon said, "MIDORIYA!"

"AHHHH!" Midoriya shouted as he came racing forward and slid his arm under one of the villain's exposed muscle, locking him in place, "One for All...100%! SMASH!"

The boy's punch sent the villain's head right into the ground with some loose rocks and boulders falling down from above, burying the villain in the rubble, while the shockwave of Midoriya's punch pushed Neon back and sent Kota right over the edge of the cliff.

"AHHHH!" the boy screamed.

 _Snap!_

This time, Neon was able to successfully Double Bubble the child and she quickly moved him back to the riddge but she kept the bubble around him just in case.

"Kota...you okay?" Neon asked.

"S-Sorry...I didn't mean to blow you away like that…" Midoriya said as he walked over to the two of them with a purpled arm dangling limply at his side, "L-Let's get back to camp now…"

 _Boom!_

The villain emerged from the rubble, with his whole body encased in his muscles and then he withdrew them into his body with a grin. "Not bad, kids…I thought you got me there for a second but that punch was too obvious...It wasn't that bad though, Midoriya."

 _M-Monster!,_ Neon thought as she hurriedly waved her hand and sent Kota across the mountain, to the cliff where she had training at.

"MIDORIYA!" Kota shouted as he sailed off and landed hard against the floor.

"KOTA, RUN TO CAMP! JUST GO!" Midoriya exclaimed, automatically understanding Neon's actions. She was so worn out from training already and he wondered if she could even get through the test of courage let alone a fight. Neon was definitely running on fumes and protecting Kota was her final move.

"Ha...It doesn't matter where you send him...My only goal is to kill...And I have you two right here in front of me," the villain chuckled, "Do you remember? Up until now, we were just playing. I said so, didn't I? 'Let's play'? RIGHT?! I SAID THAT, RIGHT?!"

Even through the deafening ringing in her ears, there was no mistaking the frenzied ranting from the movements of the villain's mouth. He meant business this time and Neon could feel a chill shoot down her spine.

The villain took out his prosthetic eye and he hunched down, wrapping his entire upper body in muscle. As he launched himself towards the two heroes in training, Midoriya grabbed Neon's hand and jumped high in the air, pulling them both out of the way just as the villain struck the ground, destroying a whole section of the cliff.

 _This...doesn't even compare to earlier!,_ Neon gasped.

The villain jumped out after them but he missed them by a few inches and he hit the wall behind them, embedding his whole arm into the face of the mountain. The force of impact sent Neon and Midoriya tumbling further into the cliff.

 _His movements...They're not as precise!_ Neon thought as she struggled to push herself up... _He's still...unbalanced from my Ear Shot!_

She crawled past Midoriya, who stared at her in horror.

"NEON!" he yelled on deaf ears as she pointed her finger to her throat and sucked in a deep breath.

"KOTAAAAAAA!" Neon roared with all her might, feeling something snap within her throat and the ringing in her ears turn piercing and painful, "RUUNNNNNNNNNNN!"

The vibrations of her screaming shook the mountain tops and the villain tried to cover his ears but he had to leave one exposed since his arm was still stuck. Behind her, Midoriya had to sink to the trembling ground and cover his own ears just from the echo.

Neon collapsed on the ground, completely exhausted as the villain swayed dizzyingly above them.

"Go...Midoriya," she breathed and then her eyes closed, "...It's your turn now…"

"NEON!" Midoriya screamed.

"Y-You...YOU DAMN KIDS!" the villain snarled as he yanked his arm out of the mountain and rocketed towards them with sweat and saliva spraying everywhere.

"ONE FOR ALL...100%...DETROIT….SMASH!" Midoriya roared as their fists collided together.

The villain's muscles began to grow layer upon layer past his fist, over his arms and shoulders, and even over his head, until he was nothing else but exposed muscle but Midoriya did not let up on his strike.

"Ow…." the villain growled, "What's wrong? I expected more pain than that!"

The muscles on the villain grew and grew until it pinned Midoriya down on the ground, crushing him against the earth, which broke beneath him.

 _Sorry...Mom...Mom, I'm so sorry,_ Deku wept through gritted teeth, _All Might, I'm sorry. I'm-_

"Gahh!" the villain roared as he stumbled and swayed from side to side, releasing some of the tension on Midoriya, "Why...Why is the world spinning?"

 _What? He's off balance? Why-_

The boy gasped.

 _Neon! She...She gave him vertigo by attacking his ears!_

"AHHHHHHH…." Midoriya groaned, as the image of Neon lying on the ground crossed his eyes...She had given it her all. All the strength she had left in her so he needed to do the same. He still had power. He still could move. He still could fight!

He squeezed his eyes shut and allowed that familiar energy to soar throughout his entire body once more and without anything back. "ONE FOR ALL...1,000,000%! DELAWARE….DETROIT….SMASH!"


	31. Sounds Like Big Trouble

**Ch 31 - Sounds Like Big Trouble**

 _Fwoomp!_

"Ah! Neon, you're awake. Oh! The Class Rep is here too!"

Each of his classmates baffled Todoroki in some way and when it came to Kirishima, it was his tendency to react without filter or thought. Even though both of them were in the hospital because they could not sit idly by and both were distraught over the capture of Bakugou, the fact that Kirishima could show genuine surprise and relief unabashedly at that moment was what differed him to Todoroki the most, who could only give a small nod towards the occupants of the hospital room.

Todoroki took his time while Kirishima hurriedly pulled up a chair next to Tenya's and sat by the bed. Todoroki, himself, chose to stand on the other side of the patient.

"Kirishima-kun...Todoroki-kun…," Tenya said as he stood up from his seat, "I was just filling Neon-san on the current situation. She woke up only a few hours ago."

"Yeah," Neon croaked.

Once again, Kirishima's facial expression gave away the surprise that both him and Todoroki felt at the sound of her voice. She put her hand to her throat at Kirishima's reaction even though Todoroki doubted it would make a difference, "I...strained my vocal cords while fighting the villain and-"

"Besides the damage to her voice," the Class Rep interrupted, jutting out a hand as if to physically cut off Neon's words, "Neon-san also suffered from ruptured ear drums and a broken ankle. Thankfully, both the doctor and Recovery Girl Sensei were able to heal Neon-san enough so there is no permanent damage. She should be all healed up within a few weeks. In the meantime, the doctor has instructed Neon-san to speak as little as possible. So...Neon-san, allow me to answer on your behalf for now since I am fully aware of your situation."

A nerve twitched at the corner of Neon's temple that did not go unnoticed by Todoroki but before she could respond, another classmate interjected.

"Ha!" Kirishima couldn't help but laugh, "Bet you wish Baku-"

Mentally, Todoroki flinched as he watched Kirishima's face cloud over with darkness at his own reminder of his classmate in peril.

"Hey. You okay?" Neon asked quietly.

It took a second for Todoroki to realize the girl was looking directly at him. He usually kept his expression blank but did Kirishima rub off on him in some way?

"Neon-san! I really must insist that you keep-" Tenya started to say but then Neon swatted a hand out to shush him while still keeping her eyes on Todoroki.

"...Ah," Todoroki said reluctantly but he didn't sound sure even to himself so he quickly changed the subject. He turned to the class rep so that Neon couldn't look at him directly, "I heard you brought Neon back to camp from the mountain."

His ploy worked. All heads turned to the class rep who nodded solemnly.

"Yes. We heard Neon-san scream for Kota-kun to run from high up in the mountain. Given my speed-based Quirk, Mandalay-san gave me permission to go up to retrieve him...but by the time I arrived, the battle was over. Midoriya-kun carried Kota-kun and I carried an unconscious Neon-san down the mountain and then...when we saw Aizawa Sensei...he took Kota-kun and we went back to camp with Neon-san...while..Midoriya-kun...despite his physical state...he went...to find..."

 _Damn,_ Todoroki thought as the eyes came back to him. He didn't want to talk about what happened. He didn't want to explain it. He was already reliving it with almost every breath. Bakugo was right there. If only they acted faster...If only they chose the right marble...If only...

Todoroki's jaw clenched. This was no time to reflect. They needed to act and based on what he and Kirishima had just overheard at Yaoyorozu's room, there was something they could do.

He was eager to bring this piece of information to Neon's room but one look at her...with her foot in a cast and scratches and bruises along her exposed skin...made Todoroki hesitate to share what they had discovered. He had already failed in keeping one classmate safe...He was not going to fail again...

"Why didn't Recovery Girl heal you up completely?" Todoroki asked and much to Neon's credit, if she was surprised by him changing the subject not so subtly this time, she did not show it.

She shrugged. "Rec-"

"There is a limit to Recovery Girl Sensei's Quirk and she was conserving it's usage for Midoriya-kun," Tenya explained.

A familiar pang of annoyance hit Todoroki but he didn't let it show. Out of everyone in the class, he understood Tenya the most. The Class Rep was straight forward and his thinking was linear. Todoroki understood why Tenya was insisting on speaking but he still felt annoyed. Was it on Neon's behalf?

Todoroki looked at the girl, who was now leaning against her pillow with her arms over her chest. Her eyes met his and she gave a defeatist shrug.

The annoyance in Todoroki grew. It was confusing and unfounded, which made it that much more irksome.

"I see…" Todoroki said.

"Midoriya-kun was in the worst condition..He's been in and out of consciousness but still recovering," Tenya continued with his report, mostly for Neon's sake as Todoroki and Kirishima were already aware, "Jiro-san and Hagakure-san are still unconscious from the villains gas...and Yaoyorozu-san also got hit hard on the head and is hospitalized here. I heard that she regained consciousness about the same time as you did. I'm planning to go check in on her after I've talked with you, Neon-san."

"Yeah! Neon. That's actually why we came here," Kirishima exclaimed, "When we went to Yaoyorozu's room-"

"We saw that a couple of policemen were talking to her," Todoroki finished for Kirishima and prayed that the red-head had the sense to keep his mouth shut.

 _Fwoomp._

The door slid open and a woman with long, red hair, slightly darker than Kirishima's, stepped into the room followed by a grim faced man with spectacles and black hair slicked back. The woman's eyes sparkled and her cheeks turned red. "Oh! You didn't tell me how popular you are with the boys, Neon," she gasped, "Are they each vying for your affections?!"

Neon let out a snort while Tenya practically fell back in his seat. Kirishima gaped at the woman while Todoroki just stared blankly at the two newcomers.

"I doubt it's like that, Ito-san," the man stated as he pushed up his glasses with one hand while the other hand held tightly to a bright, pink briefcase. Even though Todoroki had never seen this man before, he could already tell the briefcase did not belong to him. The man just exuded an aura of stuffiness...Yet there was something familiar about him. Something in the way he looked at the woman next to him...The slight quirk in his lip as if he is smiling at an internal joke…

"You're Neon's brother," Todoroki stated.

Any semblance of a smile vanished and the man's whole demeanor stiffened. He let out a small cough and then gave a curt nod. "I am Nishiyama Koushi and you are Todoroki Shouto. Son of-"

"What's going on?" Neon asked and Todoroki knew she interjected for his sake. He was grateful for that but he also did not want her to go against doctor's orders.

"Ehhhh? That's your brother? You guys look nothing alike!" Kirishima yelled and then pointed a finger at the woman, "Is that your sister?! Wow! Were you all adopted?"

Neon snorted again while Todoroki just mentally counted to three.

"Koushi-san, allow me to introduce you to Kirishima-kun. He is also one of our classmates," Tenya said as he walked over to share an overly formal handshake with the man, "And...you must be Ito-san, the social worker assigned to look after Neon-san. Greetings. My name is-"

"Oh! I already know from the school reports Neon gives me. You are Iida Tenya, the Class Representative and her oldest friend."

The annoyance within Todoroki rose up once more.

"And you! Kirishima Eijiro-kun! You were her partner in the practical portion of your finals. Don't worry about how you did. I'm sure you'll make a great hero one day. You have a bright future ahead of you," Ito said as she walked over to the bed. She smiled at a sheepish Kirishima for a beat and then she directed her attention at Todoroki, "And you-"

"We all know who I am at this point," Todoroki said and then looked at Neon's brother, "And everyone else in this room. I believe now the question is, 'Why are you here?' Although, that is something I don't believe we need to stay here for. If this is a private matter, we should leave and have you two speak with Neon alone."

"Yes. We wish to speak to Neon alone if you all don't mind," Koushi said. He ignored the alarmed expression from Neon's face and he held out the briefcase towards the government worker, "Ito-san? Could you please take back your briefcase now?"

Ito took a beat to react and judging by her expression, Todoroki guessed that she didn't even realize she wasn't carrying it in the first place. Was this absent minded person really supervising Neon?

"Oh! Thanks, Kou-kun. I must've dropped it in surprise when I saw Neon with all her admirers," Ito grinned.

Koushi rolled his eyes exasperatedly and now the resemblance between the two siblings was undeniable to everyone in the room. "No. You left it-"

 _Fwoomp._

"Oh...You must be feeling quite good, Nagano, if you're already throwing parties…" drawled a bored voice from the doorway.

"Aizawa Sensei?!" Kirishima exclaimed and then he leapt from his seat when he saw what was behind his homeroom teacher, "Why are there so many policemen with you?!"

"Now that the hospital and Recovery Girl have signed off on your status, Nagano," Eraser Head said with his tired, baggy eyes never leaving the girl in the hospital bed, "I have come to take you to a safe location to recuperate."

"What do you mean a safe location, Sensei?" Tenya asked, "Is the hospital not safe?!"

Todoroki felt a cold chill roll down his spine. "Are the villains still after Neon?"

"We can't be sure," Eraser Head admitted and then his gaze rested on the briefcase still dangling from Koushi's hand, "Ah...I see I came a bit too early…I'll let you two tell Nagano in private."

"Can everyone stop treating me like I'm a child?! Somebody just tell me what's going on!" Neon rasped. She jumped out of bed with her blanket spilling to the ground along with both her feet, one bare and one casted..

Todoroki turned and immediately grabbed her arm in case she lost her balance. Another pair of hands grabbed her on the other arm at the exact same time with the exact same intent.

"Neon-san," Tenya said sternly, "Please conserve your voice and energy. Do not hurt yourself."

"I wasn't going to do anything stupid. Give me some credit, guys," Neon sighed as she shrugged them both off and slowly sat back down at the edge of her bed, "It's just frustrating knowing that I'm here like this...with some of our classmates...and that Noisy Boy…I just…I just wish there was something I could do."

The air left Todoroki's lungs.

"Be logical, Nagano," the homeroom teacher warned, "This is far more serious than anything any of you have ever faced. Leave this to the faculty and the pro-heroes. You hear me?"

"...Yes, Sensei," Neon whispered as she stared at her hands, clasped on her lap.

"Todoroki, Iida, Kirishima. Out!" Aizawa ordered.

"Yes, Sensei," Kirishima said with a gulp as he headed towards the door.

Tenya gave a small bow to Neon. "I will go check up on Yaoyorozu," he said, "I will message you with any updates. Be safe and get some rest."

Neon gave a small nod and then Tenya followed Kirishima. Todoroki said nothing as he also left the room. He didn't know what to say. The Class Rep said it all.

The door shut and Todoroki found himself in a hospital hallway with two of his classmates, his homeroom teacher, and five armed policemen.

"Oy, Aizawa Sensei, why is Neon's brother here? I thought she is no longer part of the Nishiyama family? Are they taking her back?" Kirishima asked.

"WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN I CAN'T SEE HER ANYMORE?!"

The screechy bellow that came through the door sent Todoroki and Tenya racing towards it but both were stopped easily by their teacher, who grabbed them by the elbow. "Todoroki! Iida! Stay out of this."

"Sensei! The doctor told Neon-san that she needs to conserve her voice," Tenya said.

"Did Neon mean Akia? Is she being cut off completely?!" Todoroki demanded.

Aizawa drew a long steady breath and then with a quick scan of their surroundings, he pulled his two pupils to a row of empty seats that lined the hall. "Sit!" he ordered, "Kirishima, since you're here too, you might as well come over and hear this too."

When the boys took their seats, Aizawa leaned against the opposite wall and folded his arms across his chest. "I don't need to tell you that things are serious right now but the situation is much graver than the three of you realize. Do you understand why the League of Villains took Bakugou Katsuki? Why a group of villains are even interested in first year students?"

Kirishima shook his head while Tenya and Todoroki remained motionless.

"They are doing this to get to All Might...And to do that...they will take down all that he holds most dear…and it seems UA is where they are planning to start."

This got all three students' full attention.

"With the incident at USJ...and then with students getting caught up in the Hero Killer Stain incident...and now this...UA...is currently under government investigation and there's a chance...if we don't address this situation to their satisfaction...that UA will be shut down completely," Aizawa said.

"But why Bakugo and Neon?!" Kirishima demanded, "Surely, if they want to take students as hostages, they wouldn't pick some of the toughest guys in our class."

"It's because of their behavior during the Sports Festival, isn't it?" Todoroki asked and when Kirishima looked at him questioningly Todoroki continued, "Neon's defiant words...Bakugo's violent actions...They seem, to the public at least, the least hero-like...And if the villains were able to take them and convince them to join them...that would be a heavy blow to UA's reputation...One that they won't be able to recover from in addition to all that has happened so far."

"This is my fault," Tenya said as he buried his face in his hands, "If I had known sooner about Neon-san's family situation, I wouldn't have pushed her so far in the tournament. She wouldn't make such a bold statement...and if I...I hadn't gone after-"

"You are already atoning for your mistakes," Aizawa interjected, "And Nagano is responsible for her own actions...Which is why she is also under investigation...of a different sort."

"What?" the boys asked.

"USJ...Hero Killer Stain...This...With Nagano being involved in all three incidents..." Aizawa said slowly, "It's too big for the government not to notice. I assume Nagano has told you two the reason why she had been given much more freedom than a typical emancipation?"

Tenya nodded. "Because the teachers at UA gave ample proof that she had good judgement and maturity..."

Aizawa nodded. "Ito is here to warn her. Even once we get Bakugo back - and I am confident we will - if another incident comes up with UA and Nagano is involved...She would lose emancipation and be placed into a foster home...And then it would be up to the adults who are responsible for her to decide her future. Whether that means keeping her at UA would be up to them. "

Todoroki could feel the chill in his spine return and then it went through his veins. Neon...Not in class...That was unimaginable.

"And...and why is Koushi-san here then?" Tenya asked after a long silence, "Earlier...she yelled about not seeing 'her' anymore...Does that mean Akia-chan?"

"Ah...I've been privately informed that Nishiyama Akia had escaped the safety of her home to come find Nagano once already. With that and the public attention being casted on Nagano right now...it is not safe for the two sisters to see each other...For the time being, at least…," Aizawa said, "I'm telling all three of you this not only for Nagano's sake but for yours as well…"

He paused and waited until all three boys looked up and gave him their full attention. "Your actions have consequences...so think carefully about what you do in the future...and…"

His eyes scanned across each boy as if reading their minds. "Like I said to Nagano, if any of you are planning on doing anything in regards to Bakugo...you need to stop and leave it to the pro heroes. Are we clear?"

"Yes...Sensei…" the three boys replied stonily.

 _Fwoomp._

"She's ready," Ito said as she and Koushi stepped out onto the hallway and then to the side as to let Neon through.

 _Clink. Clink._

The cold in Todoroki was overtaken by a wash of heat that burned all the way to the top of his ears as he watched Neon come out with two crutches wedged under her arms. She was looking in their direction and her face was paler than before and her eyes were rimmed with red. There was no sign of tears but the amount of force her lips were pressed together showed just how much she was trying to keep bottled up inside.

It felt both familiar and strange to Todoroki at the same time. Familiar in the sense that he knew the amount of energy it took to hold in raging emotions that were a breath away from bursting through...Strange that seeing it on another's face made him want to unleash his own anger on their behalf. Todoroki knew he would be actually steaming if not for almost a lifetime of keeping himself in check.

"Let's go, Nagano," Aizawa said as he walked towards the elevator, leading the pack with Neon behind him and the policemen standing in the rear and sides.

"Oy...Neon," Todoroki heard himself call out just as the elevator doors opened. He didn't know what he was about to say. This was not thought out or considered. Yes...Kirishima was definitely rubbing off on him.

 _Ding!_

Neon stepped into the elevator and then turned to look at him.

"I know what kind of hero I want to be..." Todoroki said, "...And I'll tell you when we get back to class...All of us."

 _Ding!_

The elevator doors closed but not before Todoroki saw one corner of Neon's lips twitch upwards.

Todoroki stood in silence for a long while. He watched Tenya bade Koushi and Ito good-bye and then the class rep went to Yaoyorozu's room to check-in on her. Then, it was just Kirishima left.

"Oy...Todoroki...About what Sensei said…" Kirishima started to say in a hushed whisper.

Todoroki stood up a little straighter, feeling his blood pumping but his heart steadying as well. "It hasn't changed my mind...Has yours?"

Kirishima shook his head. "No...We'll wait for Midoriya to wake up and then tell him our plan...Sound good?"

"Ah," Todoroki said.

"You didn't want me to tell Neon about what we overheard at Yaoyorozu's even before Sensei talked to us…" Kirishima said with a frown, "Why?"

Todoroki shrugged. "She hasn't fully recovered."

"Would that stop you from telling Midoriya…?" Kirishima asked.

"...No…" Todoroki admitted, "But...Neon…"

Todoroki looked at Kirishima. He couldn't say what he thought. _Neon wasn't there. She didn't let the villains get away._

If he said it, he knew those words applied to Kirishima too...However...there was just a part of him that was urging him not to get Neon involved.

"This...this isn't her fight," Todoroki ended up saying.

"Yeah…" Kirishima said as he looked at his feet, "I understand."

"Oh...and what Sensei told us today about her...situation…I know he said it was alright for you to hear it but...it would be best if you didn't mention it to any one."

"Don't worry. I won't say a thing," Kirishima said and then he smirked, "Trying to protect her, huh? That's pretty manly of you."

"That's what friends do…" Todoroki said as he headed towards the stairwell.

"Sure…" Kirishima muttered his breath, "' _Friends'."_


	32. Sounds Like a Statement

**Ch 32 - Sounds Like A Statement**

Despite all the flack she gave Bakugo on his volume control...Despite her sensitivity to sound...Neon was hating the quiet around her at school. Everything was too still. Her phone wasn't moving. No one called or messaged her with an update. She had been gone from the hospital and in the safe confines of UA for almost 24 hours now and she still had not gotten word about anyone. Was Midoriya awake? Was he okay?

What about Todoroki?

He didn't look like he wanted to talk at the hospital so she didn't pursue it but she knew he must be feeling some type of way with Bakugo being taken right in front of him.

Neon took a deep breath and then looked at her reflection in a mirror in the girl's locker room. She straightened up her uniform and waited. A drippy faucet in the sink next to her was the only thing making noise and the hollow sounds of water droplets hitting hard porcelain punctuated the otherwise stale air.

It was much too quiet.

Finally, her reprieve came when Midnight entered through the door. "Ready, Nagano-chan?" she asked.

Neon nodded but then waved a hand across her outfit and rasped out a simple, "Why?"

Midnight smiled and gestured to the still opened door. "Principal Nezu and Eraser Head will explain it all to you. Come on. Let's go back to the teacher's lounge."

Neon nodded again and grabbed her crutches. She quietly followed Midnight and Cementoss back to the teacher's lounge where they had all stayed when she arrived from the hospital. The armed policemen that came with her guarded the front gates of the school but it was mostly for formality. The campus had upped their security measures even more than usual but even without the principal's assurance, Neon already knew she was safe. After all, the League of Villains had always waited for the students to be outside of school grounds to make their move. There had to be a reason for that.

When they entered the lounge, the principal sat on one of the couches with the homeroom teachers of class 1-A and 1-B sitting on either side of him. All three wore black suits and Aizawa even had his hair mostly combed back. Only Principal Nezu smiled upon Neon entering the room while Eraser Head solemnly gestured for her to take a seat on the empty couch opposite them.

"Who died?" Neon croaked, half-joking but also partially worried that was indeed what their attire was for.

"No one...We are dressed this way and have asked you to do so because...unfortunately, we have to appear in front of the media...and issue a press conference" her homeroom teacher said. Neon grimaced and Eraser Head nodded, "Our feelings on the matter are mutual. However, there is no way around it. The public is demanding answers and-"

"Why can't we wait until we get Nois- I mean, Bakugo back?" Neon asked, "And why do I have to do this too?"

"Have you ever seen a duck swimming in the water, Neon-chan?" Principal Nezu asked back instead but did not wait for an answer, "On the surface, they seem to glide through the water like a hot knife on butter but underneath it all...their legs are paddling strongly and quickly to move them forward."

There was a long pause. Both homeroom teachers shared a look over the principal's head. Blood Hero: Vlad King turned to Neon and opened his mouth but then she raised a hand. "It's okay, Kan Sensei...I've had enough conversations with Principal Nezu to understand. This isn't just to address the public. We're doing this to help get Bakugo back in some way, isn't it? A distraction?"

"Indeed, Neon-chan. We have been asked by Detective Tsukauchi to do this in time for tonight's evening news," Prinicpal Nezu said, "It is so that the League of Villains will watch and be under the impression that we are taking action but not getting as close to them as we actually are."

Neon leapt to her good foot, not even bother to use her crutch for balance. "So you know where Bakugo is?"

"Sit down, Nagano," Eraser Head ordered, "Or do you plan on hobling all the way over there and do some sort of one-legged rescue mission?"

"I…" Neon said and then she sank back down to the couch, "I'm sorry. I acted before I could think."

"You want to get your classmate back. That is understandable," Vlad King huffed, "However, you should hear the rest of what Principal Nezu has to say before you jump into any more conclusions."

Neon tilted her head. "So you don't know where Bakugo is?"

"At this point in time, Detective Tsukauchi is briefing the team of pro-heroes and an elite police force, led by All Might, on a mission not just to retrieve Bakugo Katsuki but to also take down the League of Villains simultaneously. In order for him to do so, we will need to provide a distraction. As the League is watching the telecast, thinking that for now their whereabouts are still secure,Tsukauchi and All Might will strike," Prinicpal Nezu said.

"So you _do_ know where Bakugo is?"

"Yes, _we_ do…" Eraser Head said slowly, "But you don't...and I'm hesitant to disclose that information."

Neon blinked and then a thunderous look crossed her face. "You actually _do_ think I would plan some sort of rescue mission to get Noisy Boy back! Do I seem that stupid and impulsive to you?!"

Eraser Head shook his head. "No. Not you."

"Then-" Neon gasped, "You think I'd tell Midoriya?!"

"Last night, I've already warned Iida, Todoroki, and Kirishima about the gravity of the current situation. The hospital has reported to us that Midoriya had woken up this afternoon and that the class had gone to visit him. I know at least the Class Rep would have at least conveyed my message to Midoriya as well. However, even with that, I am not entirely confident that everyone will act rationally."

Neon crossed her arms over her chest and she looked towards the wall. Her eyes started to sting. She was hurt that her homeroom teacher did not trust her enough with such an important piece of information but she was also hurt by having to find out about Midoriya's state this way. The class had seen him already? Then why didn't anyone tell her? Why has it been radio silence?

"It doesn't matter if I know or not," Neon said quietly, "Just...tell me what my part is in the press conference."

Eraser Head took a deep breath. "Facing the press is not easy, as I'm sure you're already aware, but let me remind you that they are looking for a headline so you must remain-"

Neon finally tore her eyes away from the wall and stared down her teacher. "As a former Nishiyama, I've had media training shoved down my throat since the moment I could read. Just tell me what statement I'm making and which camera to look at."

Eraser Head pulled out a stack of notecards and held it out to her. "This is what you have to read. I wrote this for you myself with Principal Nezu's approval. Study it, memorize it if you can, and be ready. Present Mic is waiting for you in the A/V room. We will broadcast your part to the press conference held outside the school grounds. Your safety after all is still a priority."

Neon did not leave the room until 45 minutes later. It took her only 1 minute to read out loud the statement, thus memorizing it, and another 1 minute to interpret what her role is in this whole charade. The rest of the time was her trying to reach her classmates...She was able to get in contact with some of the girls, who told her that Midoriya was up but nothing more. However, the messages she truly wished for did not come.

 _Me: Heard you're awake now. You okay?_

 _Me: Oy! Iida-kun! Why the hell aren't you answering your phone? What kind of Class Rep are you? Not checking in on this member of the class?_

 _Me: Why aren't you answering me? Is something wrong?_

* * *

 _\- Camino Ward, outside of a discount chain store -_

Todoroki looked down at his phone and saw the notifications for 3 unread texts, 1 missed call, and 1 voicemail. All from the same source. The same one that was contacting everyone around him as well.

"It's Neon-san again…" Tenya gulped as he held up his phone. The fake pencil mustache he had glued onto his face started to slip from the sweat accumulating beneath it, "I should respond with something. Maybe tell her-"

"No," Todoroki said, "You won't be able to hide anything from her."

Kirishima nodded and adjusted the collar of his maroon, velvet tracksuit. "Ah. She knows you too well and can probably hear your lies even through a text."

"But she knows I'm up…" Midoriya said as he scratched the fake goatee on his chin. The cheap material was itching him terribly, "I should at least tell her I'm okay."

Kirishima shrugged. "I guess there's no harm in that."

Yaoyorozu adjusted the hem of her dress. "Do so but then everyone needs to turn their phones on to do not disturb. We cannot risk it going off or even lighting up while we're investigating. Who knows where the tracker will lead us."

Todoroki stared at his phone but just as he was about to hit the do not disturb button, he switched gears and opened his voicemail. His finger went to play the one at the very top. The only one unopened.

"Eh?! Isn't that UA?"

The whole group froze for a second but when they turned to see the source, their eyes went to the big plasma screen, beaming down over the shopping plaza.

"Here is a clip of UA High School's apology press conference that is happening right now," a newscaster announced as shots of Eraser Head, Vlad King, and Principal Nezu flashed on the screen.

"We deeply apologize for this incident that allowed harm to come to 28 first years of the hero course because of our unpreparedness," Eraser Head said as he stood at the center of the group, "We apologize for causing unease in society due to our negligence in properly defending ourselves in a place of learning." The three faculty members bowed in unison. "We are truly sorry." Eraser Head finished.

"Aizawa Sensei...hates being on tv…" Kirishima murmured.

"I'm from Yomiuri TV," a reporter called out as cameras flashed at the teachers on the screen. In the plaza, a crowd gathered to watch, "Since the beginning of the year, UA High School students have had four encounters with villains. This time, there were even students injured. How did you explain to their families, and what are some specific countermeasures you are taking?"

Principal Nezu took a breath. "'We will increase policing in the surrounding areas and review the security within the school, ensuring the students' safety with a strong position.' That is what we've informed the families."

"Huh? What are these guys saying?" a person near Todoroki sneered, "Those kids are not being protected at all."

Disbelieving and disappointed murmurs flowed around them. Midoriya and Tenya shared a worried look while Todoroki turned his back from the tv. "Come on. It doesn't matter what they say. All that matters is results. This will only be resolved when we get Bakugo back."

"...Ah…" the group conceded and they made their way through the crowd and into an empty alleyway. They were too far to hear the broadcast and they turned the corner, away from the light on the plasma screen just as Neon appeared before the cameras.

* * *

 _\- 2 minute earlier back in the press room -_

"When you say that it won't infringe upon the students' future, Principal Nezu, does that apply to Bakugo Katsuki?" asked a reporter, "He enrolled at UA High with excellent marks and won the sports festival. In addition, during the incident with the sludge villain in middle school, he resisted the powerful villain alone, so he has a history of showing how tough and heroic he can be. On the other hand, the violence he showed in the finals of the sports festival and his attitude at the awards ceremony show that he is not always very mentally stable. What if the villains kidnapped him because they had an eye on that? Kidnapping him with deceitful words and then luring him down the path of evil? And what of the other student, Nagano Neon, formerly of the Nishiyama conglomerate? Rumor has it that the villains were interested in her as well? Is it because she might still have ties to her former wealth or because of the rebellious attitude she showed as well at the sports festival? What evidence do you have for saying either of them have a future as a pro-hero?"

Aizawa's eyes narrowed and his jaws clenched as he slowly stood up from his chair. His fists clenched to his sides and he forced himself to bow. "As an educator, I take full responsibility for both Bakugo Katsuki's violent behavior and Nagano Neon's defiant attitude. However, there are logical explanations for both of them. Bakugo Katsuki's actions at the sports festival originates in what he considers an 'ideal strength'. He is trying harder than anyone in his pursuit in becoming the 'top hero'. If the villains saw that and thought they had an opening, then I believe they are short-sighted."

"That is not evidence, though," the reporter interjected, "This isn't about how you feel...And what about Nagano Neon? Is there any evidence or plan in place on her account or is it all based on feeling as well?"

Aizawa took a deep breath and he sat down in his chair. "For that, I will let her tell you herself. We have a satellite link with her. She has prepared a statement and she will be able to answer your question afterwards. Nagano? Are you there?"

There was a stunned gasp amongst the reporters and then suddenly, Neon's face was projected on the wall behind Principal Nezu.

"Yes, I'm here, Sensei," Neon replied calmly as she sat with her back straight in a computer chair in a room with a distinctive UA banner hanging on the wall behind her, "To be more specific, I am safely behind the school walls and being protected by the members of the faculty."

"Principal Nezu! Eraser Head! Aren't you putting your student in danger? Won't the villains attack now that they know her loc-"

"I'm still talking," Neon said, raising her voice, "And when I'm done, you can direct all your questions regarding me _to_ me and not the Senseis. I am perfectly capable of speaking for myself."

She paused for a moment, making sure she had everyone's attention and then she nodded with satisfaction. "Good. Here is my prepared statement. As a student of UA, as a member of class 1-A, and as a direct target of the League of Villains, I, Nagano Neon, can confidently say that I stand with the faculty and staff of UA. I trust in their judgement and I have faith that once they get further into investigating, we will get Bakugo Katsuki back safely."

"Get further? Do you mean you are not close to locating Bakugo Katsuki?" one of the reporters shouted towards Principal Nezu, who lowered his head.

"Oy! Eyes on me. I'm still talking," Neon barked and then she pointed directly into the camera, "And this last statement...Sorry, Aizawa Sensei...but I'm going to speak freely for this part...This last statement is directly to the League of Villains, if they are watching."

"Wait. What are you-" Vlad King started to say but then Eraser Head put a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

Neon smirked to the camera. "You guys are dumber than I thought if you think you could get me on your side. Just because I question the process of being a pro-hero doesn't mean I'm against the hero world entirely. Yeah, I might have my own style of doing things but I know what's right and what's wrong. What's good and what's evil. Noisy Boy knows it too and if you think you can get _him_ to listen to you, when I can't even get him to shut up for even a second...Then...once again, you guys are dumber than I thought. I wish you luck because you're going to need it now that you have Noisy Boy in your presence and...man...he must be piiiiissed."

Neon leaned in a bit closer and her smirk grew. "Do not underestimate the students of UA. We are taught by the best...and that's not an exaggeration or a boast. That is a fact and you know it. Mark my words, you aren't just going to see Noisy Boy as a top hero one day. A lot of us will be up there. We will survive this. We will survive _you_...and we...will...win."

Neon sat back in her chair, crossed her arms over her chest and she shrugged, "And to answer your question, Machi Kaede of Fuji Broadcast - yes, I know who you are - if you want evidence, me being here without any qualms or worries is visual proof that I am here and committed to my path as pro-hero…And...if you want Principal Nezu or Aizawa Sensei to reveal any plans they have against the League of Villain on national TV, then it shows you care more about tv ratings than Noisy Boy's well-being."

"I…" the reporter blustered, "I merely want to know _if_ there is a plan in place."

"Yes, of course," Principal Nezu said, "We are not just standing idly by. As Nagano Neon has touched upon in her earlier statement, we are currently investigating with the police. We will definitely get our student back."

The projection turned off and on her side, Neon slumped in her chair and she looked up at the ceiling. "Gah. I hate the press."

"Yowww! You did great!" Present Mic cheered as he started to pull the wires off of the camera.

"Eraser Head might not like you going off script like that," Midnight said with a smile, "But you didn't give anything away so I'm sure he'll overlook your little outburst."

"What are you talking about?" Neon said as she showed the last notecard her homeroom teacher had handed to her.

Scrawled across the card in big, black letters were the words:

 _Say whatever you need to say to the League of Villains. Show them what kind of hero you intend to be._

"He believed in me more than I thought he did," Neon said with a shrug.


	33. Sounds Like Heroic Support

**Ch 33 - Sounds Like Heroic Support**

Neon didn't realize just how long and how tightly she was holding onto her own hands until she released it and put them over her mouth, feeling her fingers tingle as blood rushed back into them. Neither Tsukauchi or All Might had reported anything to the school yet and everyone had been on pins and needles since the conference. Neon, Midnight, and the other UA teachers had made their way back to the teacher's lounge to await any news. Then it happened.

A news channel started to broadcast a fight that was happening live between All MIght and a tall, built man with a navy blue, skull-like gas mask with angular pipes at the top, a wide collar-like life-support system around his neck with multiple other pipes connecting the front and back. They were fighting amongst a ruined warehouse. Amongst the rubble, the reporter had pointed out several fallen heroes, including Blue Jeanist. Neon wanted to mute the broadcast because the reporter in the helicopter had no idea what was going on and was blabbering on theories that made her stomach turn. To make matters worse, Bakugo was nowhere to be seen.

Principal Nezu, Eraser Head, and Vlad King had returned shortly after the broadcast had started. The Principal calmly suggested that they moved to the staff conference room so that they didn't have to cram around an old tv set. Now, they all sat around a u-shaped desk, watching an enlarged projection of what was happening. No one spoke. They were too lost in their own thoughts or listening to what the reporter had to say.

Neon was in the former category. Where were the rest of the pro-heroes? Why was All Might doing this by himself? Where was Noisy Boy? Was he in another location?! Were the other pro-heroes there?

Suddenly, All Might was knocked right into the air and towards the helicopter but before he could hit them, he was pulled back down in a flash of yellow. Neon blinked.

"Looks like Gran Torino has made it," Principal Nezu said, "That should mean more reinforcements are coming. From what Detective Tsukauchi has said, Endeavor and Edgeshot should be part of that group.

"Th-This scene is like out of the nightmare!" the reporter stammered through the camera, "In an instant, half of Camino Ward has been destroyed! Currently, All Might is fighting the villain thought to be the ringleader! I can't believe it! Just one villain has destroyed the city and is more than holding his own against the Symbol of Peace!"

"Oh shit," Neon whispered when the dust settled enough for her to get a clearer view of All Might. He was starting to steam and he looked smaller than he usually did, even though he wasn't in his gaunt, frail frame yet. He's running out of time.

"Th-Think nothing of it, Neon!' Cementoss said hurriedly, "That is just All Might's..er…"

"She knows, Cementoss," Principal Nezu said, never taking his eyes off of the screen, "But I fear the rest of the world will too very soon."

 _Kaboom!_

The villain struck once more and they saw Gran Torino jump out of the way but All Might stood exactly where he was and jabbed out his own fist, nullifying the villain's strike with his own. The impact caused a massive shockwave that blurred the camera's view once more with dust and debris. Neon waited with baited breath and then she gulped when she finally saw All Might with blood pouring down his sharp, hollowed cheeks and sunken eyes.

"Can you...Can you all see this?" the reporter asked, "All Might has...deflated!"

Suddenly, a surge of yellow energy sparked through All Might's right arm and it bulged out once more into a muscular form. The rest of All Might stayed the same. The villain also reached out his arm, cloaking it in a sinister black and red light bu just when he lifted up his hand, a blazing ball of fire enveloped the air in front of him and he quickly withdrew his hand.

Endeavor stepped into the view of the frame while a blur of black cloth shot through the air, knocking All For One's hand back and then soared into the air. The cloth unfolded itself, unraveling into a familiar masked face.

"Shishou! He made it!" Neon whispered.

"Even Kamui Woods," Midnight breathed when they saw thick branches reaching out and ensnaring Mt. Lady around the waist, pulling her out of the rubble.

Flashes of fire and streaks of black went after the villain again and again. It did not damage the villain in any way but it did manage to hold him back, giving All Might, who had fallen on his hands and knees, some time to recover.

Fuck! I wish there was something I could do, Neon thought with gritted teeth.

"Come on, All Might...Get up. You can do it."

Neon looked around and saw that Midnight was muttering to herself and then next to her, EctoPlasm chimed in with his own words of encouragement.

"Stand up. Fight."

Neon sucked in a breath. "...Which direction is the warehouse?!"

"Eh? What?" Cementoss asked back, his eyes still on the screen.

"Which direction?"

"What are you planning on doing, Nagano?" Eraser Head asked, narrowing his eyes suspiciously.

Before Neon could explain, the Principal turned around in his chair and gave her a nod. "45 degrees West. Towards City Hall."

Bam!

"AH! NEON!" Midnight and Cementoss yelled as Neon ran out of the conference room.

"No one go after her except Present Mic!" Neon heard Principal Nezu say as she rounded the corner. She ran up two flight of stairs and stumbled out on to the roof. The cold night wind blasted in her face but it did not slow her pace. She went right up to the edge of the banister, gripping the railing, and she squeezed her eyes shut.

"Please...All Might...Fight...Fight…"

"He doesn't look like his usual self...but...All Might is still All Might, right? He'll...win...right?"

One by one, she heard the voices of people cheering and calling out from the streets and through the opened windows in their homes. She took a deep breath and pointed a finger to her throat.

"ALL MIGHT!" Neon roared, "FIIIIGHT!"

Present Mic came up from behind her just as her bubble formed and floated up into the sky. A silence filled the air, only disturbed by the sounds of a few dogs barking around the neighborhood.

"Yowwww. I see now," Present Mic said with a grin, "Looks like it's time to rock. You ready, DJ Neon?"

Neon nodded and pointed her finger to the base of the speakers at his throat.

"YOWWWWWW! Don't give up, All Might! Go beyond, PLUS ULTRAAAA!"

His screams bent several trees below and flocks of birds flew out into the air along with the largest bubble Neon had ever produced.

"All Might! FIGHT!" another person shouted and then another...and another.

Soon, the night erupted into shouting from across the city as everyone bared their hearts and souls to the hero. Neon snapped her fingers in quick succession. Bubble after bubble came rising to the top, clustering around the biggest one and then Neon thrusted her hand in the direction of City Hall. The dome top of the building rose amongst the skyline and the cluster flew out beyond it.

"Come on…" Neon whispered with her head lowered and tears dripping down her chin, "Don't give up, All Might. We need you...We still need you..."

She let Present Mic pull her back from the ledge and usher her back to the conference room. She didn't know if it would work and she hoped with all her might that the outcry of support and hope would reach the Symbol of Peace. She slumped into an empty chair, avoiding Eraser Head's steely gaze.

"Eh? What is this?!" the reporter's voice rang out through the city square. The bubble cluster flew into view, with the biggest one resembling a translucent full moon, "B-Bubbles..Bubbles have emerged overhead. It has come from an unknown source and it seems to have captured the attention of everyone below, heroes and villains alike!"

"It actually worked," Present Mic whistled as Neon raised her hand and tearfully snapped her fingers.

"ALL MIGHT! FIGHT! WE BELIEVE IN YOU! GO! SYMBOL OF PEACE! ALL MIGHT! DON'T GIVE UP!"

The camera rattled as the soundwave forcefully pushed back the helicopter but everyone could hear the cries of the people. The symphonic sound of heroic support.

The sound of everyone's hearts calling out to their hero.

Their hope.

Their Symbol of Peace.

All Might raised his fist once more and yellow energy ignited through his arm, brighter and stronger than before. He ran towards All For One with no hesitation as the villain came forward with equal intensity.

 _KABOOM!_

Their fists collided with light and wind erupting out from the point of contact. Blood came shooting out of All Might's lips and arm as he was pushed back at breakneck speed but then he dug his feet into the ground, slowing the momentum until he came to a full stop. Then his left arm sparked with the same bright energy.

The villain reacted by powering up and expanding his other arm as well but just as he was about to prepare a counter, the yellow energy in All Might's left arm disappeared, returning to his right. With the villain's two arms thrown back, in expectant to strike, he had left himself wide open for All Might's attack and the Symbol of Peace sent a thunderous blow right into the villain's wrinkled face.

 _Kaboom!_

The camera went tumbling in every direction along with the helicopter. Entire chunks of concrete and stones were blown up into the air and smashing each other into pieces upon collision. From what they could make out from the blurred and frantic camera movements, the citizens were only able to see a tornado-like eruption coming from the ground below.

When the helicopter finally regained control and the news crew got their bearings, they moved the camera back onto the situation on the ground.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

A thunderous roar of relief, joy, and hope ripped through the city at the sight of their mighty hero, muscular and tall just like he usually appeared, and standing over the beaten villain with a powerful fist raised high and unshaking in the air.

"I-It's a victory!" the reporter sobbed, "The villain has fallen and All Might stands victorious amidst the destruction!"

Neon balled her hands into fists and pressed them against her eyes in a hopeless attempt to stop her tears. She couldn't breathe and her heart felt like it was being wrenched in a million directions. She was happy for the win but also devastated by the loss.

The time of peace was about to get overtaken by a time of doubt and uncertainty...along with god knows what else. This was All Might's last stance. The people didn't know it yet but their hero...their hero was gone.

Neon was in shock. She didn't know how long she sat in the conference room. Didn't even register when and how she got back to the teacher's lounge. She laid down on the couch with a blanket over her for a long time, not moving and just blinking up at the darkness.

It was the sound of a phone ringing that brought her out of her daze except it wasn't her actual phone that was ringing. It was the sound of it calling another phone. She looked down.

 _Calling Cool Hair._

She didn't even realize she had dialed it and she couldn't bring herself to end it. She watched her screen, waiting for the other end to pick up. It didn't.

She sighed and tried another number.

"H-Hello? Neon?"

"Midoriya! Are you alright?" Neon asked. She didn't have to ask if he knew what had happened. He was All Might's number one fan. Of course he knew.

"Yeah…" he said with sadness. There was a long pause and Neon heard the sounds of people chattering and police whistles.

Neon narrowed her eyes. "Where are you? What are you doing out this late?"

"Oy! Midoriya! Bakugo! Iida! I see Todoroki and Momo-chan. Let's make our way over to them!"

Midoriya gasped at Kaminari's shout while Neon felt like someone punched her in the gut. He was with everyone and Bakugo! If he was safe, why didn't they tell the teachers? Why didn't they tell her?!

"I-It's not what you think," Midoriya cried, "We...er...er..."

"MIdoriya! Why are you on the phone?! Who are you talking to?"

"I'm sorry, Iida-kun! I answered without thinking, I-"

"Is that Neon-san?!"

Neon took a second to regain her composure. First things first.

"We can talk about that later, Deku," she said solemnly, calling by his hero name so that he knew why she was calling him in the first place, "I'm more concerned about you."

"Ah...Thanks, Neon but I'm fine. Really."

"With All Might…" her voice caught in her throat and she took another breath, "With All Might's state now...It's going to be a heavier burden for you to carry but...you don't have to do it alone. If you need to talk or have any kind of help...I'm here. Okay?"

"Okay...Thanks."

"That's all I wanted to say. Goodnight."

Neon hung up and fell back onto her pillow. She closed her eyes but couldn't sleep. So they were out rescuing Noisy Boy...That's why they didn't answer any of her calls. She could see why they didn't include her but it still stung more than she'd care to admit.

She didn't get much sleep that night. Tossing and turning between worry over All Might and anger over her friends' actions.

We are friends, right? Then why wouldn't they tell me? At least answer my calls or texts. Did they think I'd run after them or tell Eraser Head? Do they not know me at all?

By the time morning came, Neon did not feel any better and she could not think of a reasonable answer for any of it. Eraser Head brought her to the police station to give them a full report, since she was unable to at the hospital and she sat quietly, answering the detective's questions and trying not to react when he asked if she knew about her classmates' rescue plans. She just shook her head no and a stone-faced Eraser Head backed her up. Judging by the terseness of his answer, she guessed he wasn't too pleased to hear about their involvement either.

When they finally finished their questioning and she left the room, she was surprised to see Bakugo coming out of the room next to hers. He looked unfazed by her and Eraser Head's presence.

"You okay?" she asked.

He gave a shrug back, which showed her just how serious the situation was. Noisy Boy had finally shut up.

"Neon!"

Ito came racing to her and she enveloped her in a tight hug. "Oh! I'm so glad you're okay."

"You can go home now, Nagano. You too, Bakugo," Eraser Head said, "But try to avoid being in public. You guys are going to be the topic of conversation for a while so best to keep a low profile."

"Yes, Sensei," they said with Neon still in Ito's clutches.

"Would you like a ride home?" Ito asked Bakugo, who shook his head and walked away without any warning. Ito looked curiously at him but then shrugged it off before returning her attention to her ward, "Ready to go?"

"Yeah," Neon said slowly, "But there's something I'd like to do today that will need your help…"

* * *

- _12 hours later -_

 _Kaboom! Kaboom!_

Todoroki woke up with a jolt and then after a beat, he settled back down on his futon and blinked up at the moonlit ceiling. It sounded like the old man was still lashing out his frustrations in the training room...or whatever was left of it.

 _Kaboom!_

Todoroki listened to the sounds of Endeavor's wrath while his mind drifted back to reality. He had passed out as soon as he returned home. They had spent the night out in Camino Ward...unable to get back with Bakugo because of the trains being stopped. None of them slept. There was too much to process to sleep anyways.

"You're next."

All Might's parting words on the broadcast rang in Todoroki's head. To others, it might've sounded like a threat to the villains...but Todoroki couldn't help but think that All Might was talking to someone specific...And it wasn't a threat. It was an order. Someone else was going to have to become the new Symbol of Peace and All Might knew exactly who he wanted it to be.

 _Kaboom!_

Todoroki sighed and sat up. Without thinking, he looked at his phone to check the time. As soon as the screen turned on, a familiar notification popped-up.

 _1 new message from Neon._

Todoroki knew he couldn't avoid her forever and there was no point in delaying it any longer. He unlocked his phone and looked at the messages from his friend.

 _(2 days ago. 6:30pm) Neon: Hey. Just a heads up, they took me to UA. Let me know when Midoriya wakes up._

 _(1 day ago. 11:00am) Neon: Just checking in to see if you heard anything yet about Midoriya. Also, can you check on Iida-kun? He hasn't been responding to my texts and that's unlike him. I'm worried._

 _(1 day ago. 5:00pm) Neon: Why aren't you answering me? Is something wrong?_

 _(Today. 4:00pm) Neon: Hey...I'm at Shili Park and I'm not leaving until you come._

Todoroki leapt to his feet. That park was in his neighborhood. He checked the time on his phone. It was already 10:00pm. There was no way she would still be there after 6 hours, right? That would be ridiculous. That would be…just the type of outrageous and stubborn thing that Neon would do.

He hurriedly ran out of the house, not even bothering to answer his sister, who called out after him in surprise.

"Shoto! Where are you going? It's already-"

 _Bam!_

Todoroki slammed the door and kept running. His shoes were untied. His t-shirt and pants were heavily wrinkled for having been slept in but he didn't think about that as he raced to the park near his house. He skidded through the park gates and then pulled out his phone. It only rang once before she answered.

"I'm on the swings," was all Todoroki got before she hung up.

As he tried to catch his breath, he looked around the empty park until he spotted the tall slide that was the centerpiece of the playground. He put his phone back in his pocket and he walked over towards it. His heart was beating rapidly from the run and he needed to get his thoughts in order. He was ready to answer whatever questions she might have for him.

When he got to the playground, he saw her sitting at the center of three swings. She had a backpack at her feet and her crutches were leaning against the steel poles that held up the swing set. He expected her to say something but was not surprised that she just stared blankly at him. Neither of them said a word so he went over to the swing on her left and sat down.

"Is it safe for you to be here?" he asked, "The police told us to avoid being in public."

Neon waved a hand in front of her. "See anyone here?"

"You know what I mean."

Neon nodded. "I got released this morning after talking to the police... but when I went back to my apartment, I saw a couple of reporters waiting outside for me. So I decided I might as well stay out and wait for them to leave...So you actually being this late is a good thing. Hopefully, they're gone by the time I get home."

"Sorry for keeping you waiting," he said, "I just woke up."

"I can see that," Neon replied as she kicked off the floor and started to swing.

Todoroki looked at her, going back and forth without saying anything else. "So...that's why you're here? Just to kill time."

Neon stamped her feet down just as the swing got back to the ground and she turned to him. Her expression hardened. "I'm here because I want to know why my friends went out on a crazy, dangerous mission last night without bothering to tell me."

"Oh," Todoroki said and then he looked at the bag at her feet. There was a half-filled water bottle sticking out of one of the side pockets. The front pocket was left opened and there were a few empty potato chip bags and half-eaten onigiris in it. "I would've thought you'd have spoken to Iida already."

Neon pushed off and began to swing once again. "I wanted to talk to you first."

Todoroki blinked. "Why?"

"Because…" Neon said and waited to go up and down a few more times before finishing her answer, "We made a deal so I'm keeping to it."

"We did?"

"Yeah...To tell you when I'm mad to avoid any miscommunication. So here I am...Telling you I'm mad," Neon stopped her swinging again but this time much more gently. She kept her eyes on her lap as she spoke, "Why didn't you tell me you were going after Noisy Boy?"

"I didn't want to get you into any trouble."

"Yet you thought it was fine to bring along the others?"

Todoroki looked away and out into the darkened playground. It was quiet and the street lamps were stretching the shadows of the trees and play area across the rubbery floor. He found it surprisingly peaceful. "They didn't have as much at stake as you did…"

"You mean their lives?" Neon asked incredulously, "What about your life? Detective Tsukauchi said it was fortunate that you guys were there to get Noisy Boy out before the fight got really dicey but...do you realize how you lucky you are that nothing else happened to you guys? All Might gave his everything for that fight."

"That's what heroes do. They put their lives on the line for others."

"I'm just as much of a hero as you are," Neon said, "And I don't need you trying to save me."

Todoroki's hands gripped the chains of the swing tightly. He was laying down his logical points and she was swatting it away. "You couldn't have done anything even if you did know...And you would've been beating yourself up the whole night about not being able to help."

"I was already up the whole night worried about you guys!" Neon shouted. Her hands jerked the chains forward as if punctuating her sentences, "It was unlike any of you to not respond. I knew something was going on and I didn't know what!"

"You called Midoriya though and you found out," Todoroki pointed out.

"Yeah but I called you first!" she said accusingly.

Todoroki didn't understand her point and his face clearly showed it because she took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"Listen...You know what kind of person I am. I'm not the type of person who lets my emotions get the better of me...but I'm also not the type to sit back and wait it out. If there is a problem, I'd like to get it resolved as quickly and efficiently as possible…So I'm going to be blunt...Even if I don't want to hear it myself. So here goes. When all of this went down..I wanted to talk to you about everything that was going on but...you weren't there...and that made me sad. Really sad."

Neon let go of the chains and then clasped her hands tightly on her lap. Her hair was tucked back behind her ears so Todoroki could see her cheeks getting red.

"There...I said it," she said, "I fully realize that it's been only a day of us not speaking but...it was a very important day...And...please take into account that I'm running only on like 3 hours of sleep and feeling especially vulnerable since Akia is now gone so if you think I'm being overly emotional, just so you know, I completely agree...but that's how I feel right now. I don't know how to deal with it or think myself out of it...and that's why I'm here. To sort it out so we can both move on and go back to how it was before"

It was a lot to take in and Todoroki didn't know where to begin. If Neon was bad with handling emotions, he was even worse. He was floored by her admission. Whatever reaction he thought Neon would have, it certainly wasn't this. He tried to think of something to say but the only thing his brain could latch onto was the fact that. she didn't say everyone...She didn't say Iida or Midoriya..It was him...and with Neon...Her choice of words were never to be taken lightly, which meant that in a dire situation, her first instinct was to turn to him. No one else…

 _Whoosh!_

The chain beneath Todoroki's left hand turned bright red as flames leaked out from beneath his fingers. He stopped himself before the heat rose up any further but it wasn't immediately quelled so he grabbed it with his right hand. Steam emitted from the metal as he slowly turned his attention to the shocked expression on Neon's face.

"I'm...sorry…" Todoroki said, "I didn't realize it would make you feel that way. I only wanted to protect you."

A long silence stretched out between the two and then Neon gave a small nod. "I know," she said, "That's why I'm so frustrated because I understand why you did what you did but I couldn't stop being mad. God...Having friends is so unnecessarily complicated. This is one of the reasons why I've avoided having them in the first place!"

"Same…" Todoroki admitted.

Neon lightly punched him in the arm. "Are you saying you don't want to be my friend anymore?"

Todoroki blinked. "No. Not at all. I was merely-"

Neon chuckled and she shook her head. "I was just kidding, Cool Hair."

"Oh...So...Are we good now?"

Neon nodded. "Yeah. We're good."

 _Beeeep! Beeep!_

"Hey. You kids! What are you doing out this late? Don't you know there is a curfew?" a policeman shouted off in the distance while blasting his whistle. They saw his silhouette running towards them and they both hurriedly jumped to their feet.

"It's alright. They're with me!" Ito called out happily, emerging from a park bench that was hidden behind some trees. They watched as she strolled towards the policeman, showing him her government identification.

Todoroki turned to Neon, who shrugged.

"I figured it might take you a while to show up so I had Ito stay with me in case it goes too late."

"What if I slept through the whole night and didn't get your message until morning?!"

Neon gestured to her bag. "We got enough supplies. It's fine. I thought it through. Don't worry about me."

As if I can, Todoroki thought to himself but thought better to voice it out loud.


	34. Sounds Like We're Moving On

**Ch 34 - Sounds Like We're Moving On**

A few weeks had passed but everyone was still talking about it as if it was still breaking news. It was a testament to the faculty of UA on how quickly they sprang to action after the announcement of All Might's retirement. They had not only planned out a secure dorming system for the students, they had built it and gotten permission from the students' families in a matter of days.

Of course, there wasn't any resistance on Neon's part or Ito's. The government worker had more than enough confidence in Principal Nezu and Neon was just relieved this meant that Ito didn't need to do her weekly pop-ins anymore. Although, they now had monthly appointments and Neon still had to call and ask for permission for any non-school and hero-related activities.

In order to protect the students from the public eye, the students were asked to move in right away, despite it still being a few weeks left of their summer break.

Even though it was move-in day, Neon had actually been staying at UA for several days already. Due to the press conference, her face and sound bytes were used in every news report as a representation of Class 1A. Whatever notoriety she had from her outburst at the sports festival paled in comparison to now. The press had surrounded the campus since the incident, not just to capture All Might but also her as well. The handful of people waiting outside her apartment made her a shut-in before UA took mercy on her and let her move in early. She kept a low profile and stayed mostly on campus grounds except for one tedious errand.

As the whole class arrived and gathered out in front of their new home, something else temporarily took their attention away from what they were doing in the first place.

"Neon! Your hair!" Ashido shrieked with excitement, "You changed it!"

Neon pulled down the red mouth mask she now wore in public and then ran her hand over the newly buzzed undercut on the left side of her head as the rest of her now pitch-black hair hung down to her right shoulder. She gave a little shrug. "I was getting recognized too easily with my old hair."

"Nice," Jiro said, "You went with the look I suggested."

"Oy! Pay attention," Aizawa lectured as he stood at the base of pale blue marble steps that led up to two sets of double doors. A brown brick pathway stretched from the steps to the street with green grass and park benches on either side.

"I'll explain briefly about the dorms, but first…" Aizawa said, "For now, we will focus on getting the provisional licenses we were planning to have you get during the training camp."

"Oh yeah," Sato mumbled, "I totally forgot about that."

"So much has happened since then...It totally slipped my mind too," Ashido admitted.

"This is important. Listen up," Aizawa scolded, "Kirishima, Yaoyorozu, Todoroki, Midoriya, and Iida. These five went to go save Bakugo that night."

He paused and his eyes scanned his class, who all looked tensely back at him.

Their teacher sighed. "Your reactions tell me that you all were at least aware of it. I'm going to set aside a number of issues and say this: If it weren't for All Might's retirement, I would've expelled everyone except Bakugo, Nagano, Jiro, and Hagakure. Of course, the five that went but also the twelve who knew but didn't stop them. I would be grateful if you could follow the proper procedures and act properly in order to regain that trust."

Everyone lowered their gaze in a mix of shame and guilt except Neon who gave her teacher a look that clearly meant, _Meh. What can you do?_

Aizawa frowned at her but continued on. "That is all I have to say about the matter. Now in terms of your life in the dorms...I do have one announcement to make," he said and then nodded over at Neon, "Nagano is going to be the RA for your class. Any disputes in regards to living habits or communal areas will go through her, understand?"

"What?!" Neon gasped. Her jaw pulled down hard on the straps of her mouth mask, "You just don't want to deal with it so you're pushing it on to me!"

"And that critical thinking is exactly why I put you in the role," Aizawa said and then he turned on his heels, "Alright. Now, we're going inside. Let's have some energy!"

As their teacher walked up the stone steps and entered the multi-storied building, Bakugo suddenly grabbed Denki and dragged him behind some hedges. "You. Come!"

"Wh-what?" Denki gasped.

The class watched in surprise and horror as electric sparks shot out from behind the greens and then Denki leaped back into view.

"Yayyyyy," he croaked with snot dribbling out his nose and two thumbs up signs pulsating from his waist.

 _PFFFFT!_

Jiro turned her face away and covered her mouth with her hands but it wasn't enough to stop the laughter and soon the whole class joined in on it too.

"Ha! What did Bakugo do?!" Sero laughed.

"Kirishima! Hack Job!"

"Huh?" the two of them turned to Katsuki, who marched over to them with his hands in his pockets. He pulled them out with a stack of cash in each hand.

"EH?!" Kirishima exclaimed, "Wait! You're scaring me! What is this? DId you shake someone down for this money?!"

"No! I withdrew this money. It's legit!" Katsuki snapped, "Kirishima, you used up all your allowance right?"

"B-," Kirishima protested but Katsuki shoved the money into Kirishima's hand.

"And you! Hack Job. Thanks!" He scowled and then continued on his rant, "Because of you calling me out like that, the press has been swarming my house and bugging me so don't think just because you look dumber than before and that you said something nice about me on national TV that I'll treat you differently. Nothing has changed between you and me, got it?"

 _So that's how Noisy Boy shows gratitude..._

Neon raised an eyebrow but said nothing as he stormed off.

"Hey guys! Sorry for causing so much trouble," Kirishima shouted to the class, "But let's all go eat yakiniku tonight. My treat!"

"Yayyyy!" the class cheered.

"Hurry up and get inside!" Aizawa shouted and the students quickly collected themselves and obeyed. However, the mood was definitely lifted and they were in better spirits when they entered their new home.

Neon was the only girl assigned to the second floor with Tokoyami, Aoyama, Midoriya, and Mineta as her floormates. She was very concerned about sharing the floor with the class pervert but she was glad that at least her room was directly in front of Tokoyami's and not Mineta's.

Since her room was already done, she spent most of her time helping out the girls unpack their stuff. She was sweaty from helping Momo wedge in a large canopy bed that was too big for the room so she returned to her room to shower. Just as she was putting on a clean black hoodie and some jean shorts, she got a call from Tenya.

"Hello?" she asked.

"Neon-san! As a RA, it is imperative that you come down here and settle this matter down in the common area. You see-"

Neon groaned. "It's only been a few hours and there's already a dispute? Ugh. I'm going to kill Eraser Head...I'll be right down...And don't make it a habit to call me everytime something comes up. No one likes a tattletale!"

She hung up and marched downstairs. She found most of the guys already relaxing after their day's work and the girls were all there too. Turns out the dispute was that the girls wanted to have a contest to see whose room was decorated the best and there were some discenters. Namely, Mineta, Midoriya, and Tokoyami.

"Should I be worried that the three guys who don't want us near their rooms are all on the same floor as me?" Neon asked, turning to Todoroki, who had just gotten out of the shower himself and was wiping his damp hair with a towel.

"I think with Mineta, you should be constantly worried," Todoroki said.

"Facts…" Neon mumbled and then clapped her hands, "Okay. In this case, I'm going to side with the girls. Majority rules unless anyone else is against it. However, since it is a matter of privacy, if someone does not want anyone in their room, they have the right to say no."

"I-" Tokoyami started to say but then Mina chimed in.

"But then they will be losing out in an invaluable high school memory that we could all laugh and think fondly of for years to come! No pressure!" she shouted.

"I...withdraw my protest," Tokoyami sighed.

"Oy! No guilt tripping, Mina!" Neon said, "Who's out?"

"Erm...Bakugo isn't here and nor is Tsu-chan," Denki pointed out and Neon nodded.

"Okay. They're out. Midoriya?"

Midoriya gulped. "In?"

"Minet-"

"In!"

Neon blinked. "Why did you change your stance so fast?"

"I want to see the girls' rooms! Enter the locked gates! The forbidden paradise! The-" Mineta started to yell.

"Okay, we get it. God...don't make me regret this," Neon sighed, "Alright. Let's go!"

"W-Wait!" MIdoriya protested when they stopped at his room first, "I'm not ready for guests!"

"Too late!" Mina exclaimed as she flung open his door and revealed what could only pass as an All Might gift shop.

"That's...amazing...You even have All Might curtains," Neon whistled and then eyed the 'limited edition 24 of 100' sewn on the corner of the red, white and blue drapes, "This is truly your room, Fan Boy!"

"I-I just admire him...a lot," Midoriya said meekly.

"You don't say," Neon chuckled.

"Alright! Next is Tokoyami!" Hagakure shouted.

"Eh? Where is Tokoyami? He's not here." Ochaco asked.

They filed back into the hallway and saw the person in question leaning up against his door with his head bowed and arms crossed over his chest.

"Hrmph...This is foolish," he scoffed.

Without hesitation, Mina and Hagakure went over to him and tried to push him away from the door but he would not budge.

"Come on! You already agreed to it. Don't back out now!" They pushed even harder, with Hagakure practically putting her whole body weight on him but the boy refused to move.

"Come on!" Mina roared. She shoved Tokoyami right off of his feet and opened the door before he could even hit the floor. Mina and Hagakure ran into the room and everyone else soon heard them scream.

"Ah! So black and dark! So scary!" Hagakure shrieked.

"Eh?" Neon asked as she poked her head through the door while Tokoyami got to his feet. The whole room was dimly lit by ghostly purple light that flickered from the eyes of various skulls throughout the room. Neon could see the silhouette of furniture and a few black inked posters hanging on the wall but that was mostly it.

"Oh? So you like this kinda stuff too? I think I have this keychain! I got it in middle school," Kirishima grinned as he held up a tribal metal symbol.

"Get out…" Tokoyami growled.

"Wait! Is that a sword?!" Midoriya gasped, "So cool!"

"GET OUT!"

"Okay, okay," Neon said as she grabbed Kirishima and Mina by the collar and dragged them out, "We've overstayed our welcome. Thanks, Tokoyami."

"W-Wait. I wanted to see more!" Mina whined but Neon tossed them into the hall and waited for everyone to leave, including Tokoyami, before closing the door.

"Okay. Now mine! Voila!" Aoyama exclaimed, being the first to willingly open his own door. He jumped into the room and waved his arms out with a flourish.

"SO BRIGHT!" the class gasped at the disco ball twirling it's light on the bedazzled fabric that draped over his bed, carpet, and drapes. There were even several gilded mirrors of various shapes and sizes placed around the room.

"Non non...Not bright," Aoyama said with a wag of the finger, "Dazzling, sparkling-"

"It's actually exactly how I thought it'd be," Hagakure said and Mina nodded in agreement as they headed out the room.

"Next would be-" Ochaco started to say but was cut off by a sinister chuckle, echoing through the halls.

"Come on in…Please...Don't be shy…" Mineta called out to them while peeking out from the shadows of his partially opened door. He crooked his fingers at the females, "I'll show you something amaz-"

"Okay! Third floor everyone?" Neon called out.

"Third floor," Shoji agreed.

"WAAAIIIT!" Mineta shouted as he leapt out of the room, "Why are only the guys getting looped into this? Shouldn't this involve everyone? Shouldn't we decide who has the best taste in interior decoration from _everyone_ in the class?"

"SURE!" Mina said without hesitation, "Well, we've already seen it before, but here's Neon's room!"

"Wait a second!" Neon protested as Mineta practically kicked down her door.

"Get the hell away from my dresser and closet, Mineta, or else I'll make sure you lose all your balls. ALL. OF. IT," Neon roared from the doorway and the grape boy slowly backed away.

"WHOAAAA! IS THAT A KARAOKE MACHINE?!" Mina screamed when she barged into the room first.

"What?!" the other girls gasped.

Neon's room as almost the same as her old apartment. Her white bookcase acted as a room divider once again with it pushed against her new bed, that was now covered in red sheets with white and black swirls threaded through it. Her small tv sat on top of the wooden dresser next to her desk, along with her soundbar. On the floor, near the door that led to her balcony, were two speakers and a standing karaoke machine with a small screen embedded at the top.

"Oh...Yeah…" Neon said, "I got that after our training camp...Figured I could do vocal exercises with it…Also why I put up all this...So...Let me know, guys, if it gets too loud."

She gestured to the thick woven tapestries and large black acoustic panels she had adhered along the walls for soundproofing. Each tapestry was white at the base but with various colored yarn knitted over the top of it in a wave like pattern.

Todoroki blinked. He ambled along with Neon. Neither of them in a hurry to participate in the contest and both just going along for the ride. "Vocal exercises?"

"Yeah," Neon sighed as she entered her own room, "Although...if any of you guys want to have a karaoke night or something...just let me know...I can set it up down in the communal area and then bubble myself up in my room."

Jiro laughed heartily. "So you'll let us sing but you don't want to hear it."

Neon's grimace was her answer and that only made the other sound Quirk user laugh harder.

"Oh...This looks just like Neon's previous apartment...except she added some additional soundproofing, which is good considering the close quarters to us and her need to train her Quirk," Midoriya murmured, mostly to himself but a little too loudly, as he entered the room.

All eyes flicked towards him in surprise while Neon covered her face with her hand.

 _Oh no..._

"Y-You've been to Neon's apartment?" Mineta roared and then launched himself at Midoriya, grabbing him by the collar of his t-shirt and shaking him furiously, "Do you mean to tell you mean you've already been to the apartment of a young, teenage woman who lives alone by herself? UNFORGIVABLE!"

"It wasn't like that!" Midoriya protested.

Neon went over and yanked Mineta off of Midoriya and then threw Mineta out the door. "You have too wild of an imagination. Eraser Head sent him to my house to deal with a school issue that he was too lazy to do himself," she said, over-generalizing the situation as not to mention her sister, All Might, or the fact it involved the incident with Hero Killer Stain, "That's all."

"What school issue?" Todoroki asked.

Neon shrugged. "It's already resolved. Alright...Everyone! Moving on to the third floor! Let's go. Everyone out."

"But there's still my room!" Mineta sang out, "Come, ladies! Come into my-"

"Third floor. Let's go," Neon shouted without missing a beat.

"Oy...Neon," Todoroki said as everyone started to file out of the room and the both of them hung at the back "That school issue-"

"It was about our internships. About Iida-kun," she mumbled under her breath so only he could hear, "I'm in good standing now with the government, if that's what you are worried about. Any talks of me transferring or leaving UA has stopped."

"Ah. I see," Todoroki said.

In the hallway, Ochaco gave Midoriya and Tenya a little nudge. "Hey, Deku! Iida-kun!" she whispered, "Did you notice that Neon and Todoroki seem to be a lot closer than before?"

"What do you mean?" Tenya asked, "They used to come to school together and sit next to each other in class. It's only natural-"

"I know but...don't they seem a little different?" Ochaco asked.

"Different? Like how?" Midoriya asked.

"I don't know…" Ochaco said as she gave one last look before heading with the rest of the class to the third floor, "It's just...different."


	35. Sounds Like the Prov Licensing Exam I

**Ch 35 - Sounds Like the Provisional Licensing Exams I**

After long weeks of training and prepping, the day of the Provisional Exams arrived. The exams were open to all the hero schools around the country so it was set in a central location, which was about a two-hour drive from school.

"You nervous?" Todoroki asked on the bus.

Neon nodded. "Aren't you?"

Todoroki shrugged. "I either pass or I don't. Being nervous doesn't change any of that."

Neon smiled. "I'll take that as a yes but you don't want to admit it."

Todoroki's stony silence only made her smile even bigger.

"You'll be fine, Cool Hair. I've only ever seen you breeze through an exam...Unless you messed up on your entrance exam but it wouldn't have been that bad since you clearly passed and got enrolled into the hero course."

Todoroki shrugged again. "I don't remember all that much but I did okay."

If it was anyone else, Neon would've suspected they were being falsely humble but she knew Todoroki well enough to know that he meant what he said. He truly did not recall much from his exams. He was probably too focused on actually passing and getting through it than what other people were doing and how he did in comparison to them.

When the bus finally pulled into the parking lot of the National Dagoba Arena where the test was being held, they all filed neatly out with their briefcases in hand. The arena looked like a concrete circus tent with red and yellow striped outer walls and a metal roof that came together at a tall point in the center.

"Ah...I'm getting nervous," Jiro gulped, when the whole class filed out of the bus.

"I wonder what we'll have to do…" Mineta whispered, "Ah...I wonder if I can get my provisional license…"

"Mineta!" Aizawa said sternly, dropping down so that he was eye leveled to the grape boy, "It's not about whether or not you can. Go and get it!"

"R-Right. Of course!"

Aizawa stood back up and he looked at his class. "If you can pass this test and get your provisional licenses, then you novice eggs will become chicks. You'll hatch into semi-pros. Do your best!'

"All right! I'll become a chick!" Denki cheered.

"Careful," Jiro snickered, "If you overcharge yourself, you'll just be served over easy."

"Alright! Let's all call out the usual," Kirishima said with an enthusiastic fist pump, "Go beyond..Plus-"

"ULTRA!" a tall, muscular boy shouted as he raced to the center of the group and thrust his hand into the air. He had on a white collared shirt, black pants, and a black captain's hat with a red line across the brim and a yellow S at the front.

A boy with purple hair and a girl with long honey blonde hair, both in the same uniform as the intruder, walked up to their school-mate.

"You shouldn't just barge in on other people's huddles, Inasa," the boy with purple hair said.

The boy identified as Inasa gasped. "Oh no!" His arms slapped to the side and he bent low and hard, hitting his head sharply on the ground, "I AM SORRY!"

"What's with this guy trying to get by with just his enthusiasm?!" Denki exclaimed while the entire class of 1A took a step back from this bizarre person.

"Wait! That school!... It's from that famous school in western Japan!" Jiro said, "Shiketsu!"

The boy stood back up with blood streaming down his face. "I wanted to try saying it just once! Plus Ultra! I _love_ UA! I am extremely honored to be able to compete against UA students," he shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Too loud," Neon mumbled, "Aizawa Sensei, can I-"

"No, you can neither bubble Yoarashi Inasa or yourself. Do not use your Quirk until the test officially starts," Aizawa said sharply. Although, internally, he was slightly taken aback that Neon had even bothered to check for permission first. Maybe she had finally learned to play by the rules?

"Eh? You know him, Sensei?" Hagakure asked.

"Ah. He's strong," Aizawa said as they watched the boy rejoin the rest of the Shiketsu test takers and enter the building, "First year, the same as you guys. He tried out the same year too. Yoarashi got the top scores of those admitted through recommendations, but for some reason, he turned down his acceptance."

"What? So he's a first-year then?" Midoriya asked.

"He...beat Todoroki and Momo?" Mina asked at the same time.

"Whatever," Todoroki mumbled.

"Eraser? It's you, isn't it?! ERASER?!"

Neon's eyes went back and forth between her teacher and her friend. She couldn't tell who looked more uncomfortable and tense. She understood Todoroki's stance but why Aizawa's? A woman was approaching him with an orange bandana tied around her green hair and a sash of smiley faces around her waist.

"It's been awhile!" the woman called out cheerfully, "Hey! Let's get married."

Mina gasped and grabbed the nearest arm to her while Aizawa's expression did not change a bit.

"No."

The woman clutched her sides. "Ha! Good one!"

"You're hard to talk to, as usual, Joke."

"Ha. Black Kettle..." Neon chuckled and next to her, Todoroki gave a small smile at their inside joke. Then Midoriya started to spew all the facts he had collected on this particular pro hero.

It turned out that the woman was the Smile Hero: Ms Joke, whose Quirk made her targets laugh hysterically, dulling their thoughts and movements enough for her to defeat them. She was there as a teacher to a class of second years at Ketsubutsu Academy.

"I'm Shindo!" introduced a boy, who had curly black hair that stuck upwards much like Midoriya's. He clapped his hands over the green hair, "UA this year's had trouble after trouble, so it must've been tough."

"Huh? Yeah…" Midoriya said.

"But even so," Shindo continued, moving down the line to shake Denki's hand, "You all are still aiming to be heroes like this, huh?" He moved to Jiro. "That's wonderful! A heart of fortitude is what I believe all heroes should heave from now on!"

He took a step back and smiled at the group. "And one of you is Bakugo, right? The one who experienced being the center of the Camino incident?"

"Ah?" Bakugo asked.

Shindo walked over to him. "You have an especially strong-"

"With no due respect…" Neon interrupted as she put up her hand so that he knew who was speaking, "Can you shut up so we can leave?"

"Ah?" Shindo turned to face her and she stuffed her hand back in her pocket.

"Your voice reeks of insincerity," Neon said.

Bakugo smirked while Kirishima glared at Neon. "Don't be rude! Sorry, about that. She's just a little anxious."

"It's okay," Shindo said. His expression changed into a haughty smirk, "I didn't recognize you at first because of the face mask and new hair but you're Neon, right? You're on tv a lot. Like to be the center of attention, don't you?"

"Neon-san is not like that!" Tenya shouted.

"Don't talk like you know her," Todoroki said lowly at the same time.

Neon rolled her eyes and turned to the teacher, "Sensei? Can we please go in now or is having our own meet and greet session part of the exam?"

"Yeah...Sorry, Joke, but Nagano is right. We should head in," Aizawa said and then he nodded at his class, "Change into your costumes and go to the orientation room. There will be signs telling you where to go. Don't waste time."

"Whew...it's like...contact with people outside of school reminds me..' Jiro said.

Denki puffed up his chest. "We're pretty famous from the sports festival. Aren't we? We're like celebrities!"

 _We're big, fat, sitting ducks..._ Neon thought.

30 minutes later, over 1,500 examinees found themselves crowded into the lobby of the arena where a wary middle-aged man named Mera from the Public Safety Commission resided as their proctor. He started the day by dropping a bomb.

"Only 100 of you will pass."

"WHAT?!" the examinees exclaimed in horror.

"Well...a lot's happened out there in the world," Mera sighed with his eyes drooping dangerously to a prolonged closed state, "And you know...about luck and everything...So anyways…"

"That's...That's his explanation?" Neon asked from under her helmet.

"Here are the requirements," Mera said as he held up a ball in one hand and a metal disk in the other, "The examinees will put three of these targets on his or her body, They can go anywhere as long as it's an exposed area. You can't put them on the soles of your feet or on your armpits. Everyone will also get six of these balls. The targets are made to only light up if they're hit by these balls and if all three of your targets light up, then you're out. The person who lights up your third target will have it count as their defeat. You get through this round by defeating two people."

"So at best take out two people without missing...Or have six opportunities to light up the last target of two people…," Neon murmured.

"Alright...after we open, we'll pass out the targets and balls, and then we'll start one minute after we've gotten to everyone," Mera grumbled.

"Open?" Todoroki asked.

 _Creaaaak!_

The ceiling above them split open and then all four walls came down, opening up the entire room into a large dirt field with various settings lined around the arena. There was a large urban setting, an industrial zone, a mountainous terrain, a stretch of highway, and even a forest complete with a lush waterfall.

"It's like...USJ…" Neon breathed.

"I believe you all have terrain that you like and dislike," Mera said, "Use your Quirks well and do your best."

"Oy, Iida-kun," Neon said as she saw several people starting to hand out the targets and balls to the examinees, "Get everyone together and tell them...We're going to run it like the Forest of the Beast…"

"Forest of the…" Tenya whispered and he gasped, "The training camp?"

"Neon-san, you thought that too, huh?" Midoriya asked, "We need to move as a group."

"Yes. I'll gather everyone, right away." Tenya said. He hurriedly whispered into Jiro and Ochaco the plan and soon, all of Class 1A were huddled together as they received their equipment. Well, almost everyone.

"Tch. This isn't a field trip. Count me out," Bakugo growled as he stormed off.

"Oy! That guy...Wait!" Kirishima shouted, running after him.

"Same. I can't use my Quirk to the full extent with this big of a group," Todoroki said as he left too.

Neon ignored the sting that came from the latter not participating, despite his sound reasoning, and she waved it off with a flick of her hand. "It's fine. We'll improvise."

"So what do we do?" Ochaco asked.

"Tokoyami and I will head up the front to replace Todoroki and Noisy Boy. Iida-kun, you take the rear this time and make sure no one falls behind. Everyone else remember their places?" Neon asked.

"Yes!"

"Everyone, go to the mountains! Get to higher ground," Neon said as soon as everyone got their stuff. She started to run ahead but not too fast so that her classmates could catch up. They barely reached the foot of one of the mountains when an alarm blared overhead.

 _Byuuuuuuur!_

"Ready? Test, start!"

Immediately, Ms. Joke's class came flying through the air with their balls in hand and Shindo smirking at the front. "Looks like we got the famous first years. This should be easy."

Neon pulled out two, thick black tubes that were dangling off of a new holster she had wrapped around her waist. It was the latest invention of Mei Hatsume with some strict guidelines from Neon.

"SOUND SWORDS!" Neon shouted as she pressed a yellow button on the tubes.

 _WUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUB!_

Sound blasted forward from the ends of the tube towards Shindo, pushing not just his ball but himself back. Neon waved her arms around, letting the sound blast away the majority of the projectiles.

"DARK SHADOW!" Tokoyami roared as his inner creature soared into the air, grabbing any of the balls left in the air from their side while tape, grapes, and acid shot out from Class 1A, blocking out all the projectiles swiftly and succinctly.

"Good job, everyone!" Momo said as she created a bunch of shields and guarded Tsu, Hagakure, and Koda in the middle. She even gave Hagakure and Koda tennis rackets, "Hold this formation!"

"Look up ahead!" Midoriya shouted. From the top of the mountain, a boy with a long, black bob and a leather vest threw his balls down onto the ground. They glowed purple and disappeared under the dirt.

"What?! Where'd it go?" Ochaco asked as she looked nervously on the ground, "Who's it going for?"

"Stand back! Let me handle this!" Jiro said as she plugged her headphone jacks to her new gloves, "Amplifier jack...Heartbeat DIstortion!

 _Kaboom!_

The sound broke through the dirt, breaking up the earth and even cracking the side of the mountain. Half of the second years lost their footing and started to fall into the rubble.

"Nice one," Neon said as she gave Jiro a high five.

The balls resurfaced through the earth and raced towards Mineta.

"I got this!" Mina said as she flicked her acid towards the balls, "Maximum viscosity and solubility...ACID VEIL!"

An acid wall streaked across the sky, disintegrating the projectiles and dripped back down to the earth.

"Everyone, fall back!" Shido shouted as he got to his knees and put his hands to the ground, "Their defenses are strong...so let's break it up! Maximum Force...Tremoring Earth!"

Neon felt the earth shake beneath her feet and then she quickly Double Bubbled her hands. "Everyone, watch out!"

The ground broke from underneath them, splitting the earth, creating canyons, and destroying what was left of the mountain.

"AHHHH!" Class 1A screamed as they fell. Hurriedly, Neon grabbed the nearest person within reach, which was Tokoyami. From the corner of her eye, she saw him reach out to someone but she couldn't see clearly. She hurriedly bubbled them as a group and moved so they hovered just above the sinking ground but not too high as to expose themselves to anyone who could possibly still be on their feet. When everything stilled and all was quiet, she lowered them down along with her cargo into the newly formed canyon.

"Tokoyami…" Neon groaned.

"I know...I wasn't thinking," Tokoyami said with his head lowered. Even Dark Shadow had his wings tucked under his chin guiltily. "I just grabbed the first person I saw."

"You were right next to Midoriya…"

"I know."

"Shoji was right there too."

"I...I know...I'm deeply ashamed of my choice."

"OY! What the hell is wrong with me?!" Mineta shouted indignantly.

"Shh! Keep your voice down?" Neon snapped, "We don't want to reveal our location! We're still surrounded, you know?"

"Fine. Just let me feel a boob and we'll call it even."

Neon grabbed all three of her balls. "Nobody said I couldn't take out my own classmate."

"DING DING!" Dark Shadow howled as he swooped in between Neon and Mineta and pulled them apart, "Everyone! To their own corners!" .

Neon eyed the creature, who had grown considerably in size. "Hrmm...This isn't a bad thing. Dark Shadow isn't under direct sunlight anymore. There's more shade now."

"That is coooorrrrect!" Dark Shadow said and gave her a winged thumbs up.

"AH! 120 people have just been taken out simultaneously in one blowwww!" Mera screamed through the intercom.

"What?! 120? All at once?" Mineta gasped, "Shoot! What do we do?! Find everyone else? Go find people to take out? Wait here?"

"Whatever we do, we'll need to stick together," Tokoyami said.

Neon blinked. "What did you just say?"

"We'll need to stick together?"

"Yep…" A smile stretched across her face, "Guys...I have an idea."

After explaining her plan, the group sprang into action. They moved through the canyon until they found a wide enough space with at least 4 different pathways leading to it. It took a while to find a suitable location and by that time, over 56 people had already passed the exams.

"Mineta! Talk," Neon hissed.

"Eh? Me? Why me?"

"Just do it. Talk about anything!"

As Mineta talked, Neon cringingly formed a sound bubble, amplified it with a touch of her finger, and sent it right at the top of the canyon so that it was high enough for the sound to carry but still kept the bubble hidden from plain view.

 _Pop!_

" _You know….If you think about it. Grapes are just like boobs. The best ones are perfectly round and with the right amount of squish to them. That part is important. You can't have it too soft or too firm. It has to be just right. And...it can't be too old too. There is no juice in an old grape. That's just a raisin!"_

Tokoyami's head hung in shame. Once again, he felt responsible for his impromptu save. He dared not think about what the impression of their class was now.

"God! That is disgusting! DIE!" a girl shouted as she jumped out overhead with her balls in hand with two other girls alongside her. Four other students raced behind her.

"There they are!" a group of students called out as they ran through the passageway as well.

"Now!" Neon said.

"Black Ankh!" Tokoyami shouted, becoming one with his dark creature, and extending his winged claws out towards their foes, "Covert Black-Ops Arms!"

"Ah! Watch out!" the examinees screamed as Tokoyami swiped at them. He covered them in darkness, holding some of them back, while knocking the rest forward.

 _Squish!_

"Eh?!" gasped the examinees that were herded directly into a whole valley dotted with sticky, purple balls.

"HAHA! THIS DISGUSTING THING HAS CAUGHT YOU!" Mineta cackled as he continuously threw his balls forward.

"Good job," Neon said, "Now get behind me!"

Hurriedly, both boys retreated and just as they ran past Neon, who stepped into the open space, she put her hands to her throat and she looked at the ones, who had not been caught yet.

"CLASS 1A!" she shouted as the earth trembled once more but did not break. However, her voice did travel through the pathways, bouncing off the stone walls with a natural amplification that deafened everyone who had not yet covered their ears, "TOKOYAMI, MINETA, AND I ARE MOVING ON NOW! WE'LL BE WAITING FOR YOU GUYS! YOU CAN DO IT! GO BEYOND...PLUS ULTRA!"

She lowered her hand and picked up her three balls.

 _Bing! Bing! Bing!_

Tokoyami, Mineta, and Neon all tapped their balls on the nearest examinees, who were dazed and dizzy from Neon's sound.

"Those who have passed, please proceed to the waiting room," came a tinny voice from their target disks.

"Ah...59...60...61 have passed," Mera announced.


	36. Sounds Like the Prov Licensing Exam II

**Ch 36 - Sounds Like the Provisional Licensing Exams II**

"Ah! It's UA! You guys have made it! Congratulations!"

Neon winced at the fur-caped loudmouth that didn't even give her, Tokoyami, and Mineta time to walk into the waiting area. "Back it up, Yoarashi. You're way too loud."

"Ah! Sorry about that!" he said as he bowed and stepped away so that they could enter, "You must be sensitive to sound. Ah! How is it being around the pro hero, Present Mic then?"

"I keep conversation to a minimum," Neon shrugged as her eyes glazed over the room.

Like now…

The waiting area was completely covered in beige tiles with wooden planks on the ceiling. It was stark and bare with a few green booth seats along the walls, some plastic cafeteria tables and benches, and an area for refreshments and snacks. Her eyes caught the differing colored ones of Todoroki, who was seated at the back. She gave a mocking salute to him and grinned. She was relieved but not surprised to see he had already passed.

"Ha! That shows fortitude! As expected of a UA student," Yoarashi interrupted, drawing her attention back to him, "Ah! The off button on your targets is on the back. We've been told to put them on the shelf with the ball bags."

"Thanks," Tokoyami said as the three of them started to take off their equipment.

"Hey! How are the girls at your school?" Mineta asked bluntly.

"And...that's my cue to leave this conversation," Neon sighed, "Here Mineta. Give me your stuff. I'll put it back for you."

"Ah...Neon has asked to hold my balls," Mineta grinned.

Neon lunged for Mineta. Yoarashi quickly moved behind her and locked his arms under hers to pull her back.

"Whoa! I'm pretty sure we're not allowed to fight outside of the exams...You don't want to fail like this, do you?" Yoarashi asked.

Neon stopped struggling and raised her hands up in the air. "I'm fine...I'm fine. Just...keep this guy away from me."

"Here...Mineta and I will put our stuff away," Tokoyami offered.

"Thanks," Neon said as she handed her gear to Tokoyami and Mineta.

"What high energy UA students have," Yoarashi said.

"Yeah..," Neon said, "Thanks for stopping me. I'll hit him when the exam is done."

"Ha! But you're still going to hit him?" Yoarashi laughed, "I freakin' love your spirit! Actually, I've liked it ever since the sports festival. I saw you during the press conference too! You have a fiery personality."

"Actually," Neon said slowly, "You just happened to witness the rare moments where I lose my cool."

"Then I hope those moments come more frequently. I believe heroes need passion! They should be hot blooded! And you were brilliant at the sports festival when you gave such a passionate speech, declaring your values and standing up for what you believe. Now that is the action of a hero! And then what you said at the press conference...Man! Made me almost wish I actually stuck with UA."

Almost... Neon frowned but she could feel her face get slightly heated from the unexpected praise. "You're too loud again."

Yoarashi's arms clamped to his sides once more and he bowed at the waist. "Ah! My deepest apologies!"

The door swished open behind them. Momo, Jiro, Tsu, Tokoyami, and Shoji came into the building and they smiled when they saw Neon. They went over to her and unfortunately, that meant Mineta joined along with Tokoyami.

"I'm actually going to go get something to eat," Neon said as her greeting and then nodded over to the refreshment area, "Anybody want anything?"

Everyone shook their head except Jiro, who gave a shrug. "I'll come with you," she said.

They went over to the refreshments area and Neon went to the table filled with bowls of fruit and some yogurt.

"How'd you guys do?" Neon asked as she picked up an apple.

Jiro winced. "We ended up in the urban area and took out a bunch of second years from an all girls high school. It was a close one. If Momo wasn't there, I don't know if we'd be able to pass."

"Yeah. She's really smart," Neon said softly, "And a natural leader."

"How about you?" Jiro asked.

Neon shrugged. "We just took advantage of Mineta's Quirk to lay a trap."

"Nice," Jiro said.

"Ah! You two!"

"Why is he always here?" Neon moaned just loud enough for Jiro to hear, who raised an eyebrow at Yoarashi, hurrying over to her.

"You also have a sound base Quirk, yes? Do they not work well together? Is that why you two decided to work separately?"

"...No. We just haven't had the opportunity to partner up yet," Jiro said slowly and then she decided to cut to the chase, "Why are you here?"

"Ah! I just wanted to get to know UA students a little more," Yoarashi said, "As I've mentioned before, I have a deep respect for UA and-"

"Then why aren't you attending UA?" Neon asked, "You passed the entrance exam with flying colors."

"Ah…" Yoarashi lost his smile and he straightened up a little. "That...that is true. I will admit there was an incident that made me not want to attend but it wasn't due to the school itself...It was more of a personality difference. I couldn't see myself being part of a class and reach a level of camaraderie with certain individuals."

"Do you mean Todoroki? Because there's no way you'd mean Momo," Jiro asked.

Yoarashi's lips pressed together grimly, as if trying to hold the words back for a second but then he nodded. "Yes. I will admit that the character of Endeavor's son was too off putting for me."

"Ah...I see your point," Neon said and both Jiro and Yoarashi looked at her in surprise.

"So you agree with me?" Yoarashi exclaimed.

"Seriously?!" Jiro gasped, "I thought Todoroki is one of your best friends!"

Yoarashi blinked. "He is?"

"There's a definite personality difference between Todoroki and you," Neon said, ignoring Jiro's blab, "You two would not get along...and our class is already loud enough with Bakugo getting riled up by Midoriya. Adding you into that factor would be horrible for our class dynamic. You were right to go to another school."

Yoarashi sighed with disappointment. "You...You are sticking up for Endeavor's son?"

"Just stating facts," Neon said as she moved her way out of the dining area. "We're done here. Come on, Jiro."

"Sorry, dude," Jiro said with a nonchalant shrug as she followed Neon through the crowd.

"I saw you at the sports festival," Yoarashi interrupted as he quickly went after them.

"So you said," Neon muttered without changing her pace or direction.

"Please wait…" Yoarashi said as he grabbed her by the arm to get her to stop. It wasn't a painful grab but it was firm enough for her to take him seriously.

Thwack!

From the other side of the room, Todoroki leapt up from his seat, accidentally knocking over the table, with a startled Momo, Tokoyami, and Shoji sitting around him but Neon didn't react to that. Instead, she just calmly looked back at the agitated Yoarashi.

"What?" Neon asked.

"Like I said… I remember you from the sports festival...and...I don't understand how someone like yourself...who disliked competition because of how it pitted friends against friends...could stick up for someone as cold and selfish as Endeavor's son...He-"

"I'll stop you right there," Neon said and pulled her arm away from his hold, "I don't know what the hell happened at the entrance exam and what you're judging Todoroki on but...that's between you and him. Your business with him is your business, just like my business with him is mine so butt out. Do not talk to me like you know me."

Yoarashi hesitated for a minute but then he stepped back and bowed at the waist. "I'm sorry if I've offended you in anyway...I admit I do get carried away at times but that is because I was very eager to meet you."

"All because of the sports festival?" Jiro asked.

"Not just that," Yoarashi nodded, "I wanted to meet you, Nagano-san, even more when I realized who your mother was."

Neon felt like the bottom of the floor dropped out of her but she kept her face expressionless.

"Your mother?" Jiro asked.

"Nagano Aine was your mother, yes?" Yoarashi said with an eager grin to Neon, "The concert pianist? My parents were a huge fan and have a bunch of her records. Even the live recording of her Christmas concert at the Tokyo Dome! That one is my favorite!"

Neon's jaw clenched. Watching the recording of her mother performing that Christmas concert used to be one of her favorite things to do with her mother around the holidays...And it would always end with a live performance in the piano room. She, the staff, and sometimes even Koushi, would share a big plate of cookies while her mother played Beethoven's Ode to Joy.

She hadn't thought of that memory in years. "I…" Her throat constricted and she couldn't say anymore.

Yoarashi's smile grew. "We have it on vinyl! Would you like to come over and listen to it sometime? My real home is actually close to UA. I live at the dorms usually during the school year."

The boy was loud but he was also sincere and Neon had to give him that. She swallowed the lump in her throat.

"I...I don't think I know you well enough to go to your house...But thanks for not yelling…" she managed to say as she continued on her way. She stopped and then turned to look at him, "And...that Christmas concert is my favorite too."

Yoarashi's face looked like it was about to split in half by his smile and he bowed to her. "Thank you for your time, Nagano-san! It was great to have finally chatted with you!"

She and Jiro rejoined her classmates near the center of the room while Todoroki uprighted his table with a blank poker face.

"Now we had another incident where three people passed in succession, which brings the total to 82...18 spots left!" Mera announced.

"Shit...82?" Neon muttered between chews of her apple. She glanced around the room and saw that no other Class 1A members had come in since Momo's group.

"Whoa! Does this mean Bakugo might not pass while I did?!" Mineta shouted, "Ha! The hierarchy of the class is now in dan-"

Thwack!

Tsuyu slapped him hard across the face with her tongue. "That's enough out of you."

Fwoomp!

The door to the entrance opened and Neon smirked at the arrival of not just Bakugo but Kirishima, Denki, Midoriya, Ochaco, and Sero. "Hierarchy still stands strong."

"Oh man…" Mineta groaned.

"All right! You guys passed too! Amazing!" Kirishima cheered as he and Denki ran to their group.

"Geez, Mineta. That was some statement you made back there. Now your skeevy behavior is known nationwide," Sero chuckled, "I can't believe you broadcasted that, Neon."

"I stand by what I said!" Mineta shouted adamantly.

"Of course you would," Neon sighed.

"Broadcasted what?" Jiro asked.

"Yeah, what are you guys talking about?" Denki asked.

"Oh yeah...You guys weren't in the mountain area so you didn't hear…" Neon said.

"It's nothing. It was just Mineta being Mineta," Sero laughed, "Although...if you want to talk about scandal, I know something goooood."

"What's the rating?" Mineta asked.

"R-18," Sero said and his smile turned lascivious.

"Yeah. We don't need to hear this. Come on, girls," Jiro said as she stepped away from the group and motioned for Ochaco, Tsuyu, and Neon to follow her.

From the back of the room, Todoroki sat back down next to Momo, Shoji, and Tokoyami and he rested his head in his hands. He felt like he was going crazy. His heart and his mind were going in opposite directions. Rationally, there was nothing for him to feel so upset about.

There was a guy here, who seemed to dislike him.

That's all there was to it and yet it unsettled Todoroki...And the fact that it had any emotional effect on him made Todoroki that much more troubled. That guy, Yoarashi, was not the first guy who did not think kindly of him nor would he be the last.

So...why was Todoroki so bothered by it?

He couldn't look up from the table. He did not want to look at that guy any more. Just the sight of that guy talking to Neon had made his blood boil. The whole time Todoroki was in the room, that guy had done nothing but glare at him but when the other UA students entered, his expression was completely different...Especially with Neon. Talking to her as if they were friends…

She was not the type to let emotions hold sway over her actions. She was careful...Especially about who she lets into her life.

Just thinking about it made Todoroki's fingers dig into his scalp. He had lost his cool that day and he was close to losing it again just now when that cocky guy grabbed Neon by the arm.

He had no right to touch her.

"Todoroki-kun? Are you not feeling well?" he heard Momo whisper next to him and Todoroki gritted his teeth.

She was a reminder of reality and the situation at hand. He did not want this to affect their exam performance. He could not.

"Sorry, Yaoyorozu.." he sighed, "I...I don't know what's gotten into me."

"It's okay," Momo said softly, "You don't need to figure it out right now...Just focus on the exams. Don't let this affect your performance."

Todoroki finally sat back up but he kept his eyes on his hands, which he folded in front of him on top of the table. Yeah...He was okay...At least, enough for him to take this exam. He needed to swallow his feelings for now and sort through all this confusion and frustration later.

After all, he was not like Yoarashi. He did not believe that a hero needed passion. A hero just needed to complete the task at hand….

And right now, the task is to pass the next exam. Whatever it may be...


	37. Sounds Like the Prov Licensing Exam III

**Ch 37 - Sounds Like the Provisional Licensing Exam III**

"Rescue, huh?" Neon murmured, "That can't be good...With our class track record, bad things happen when rescuing is involved."

The UA first years had all passed with the last of the 100 slots filled up by them. Both a sense of relief and pride washed over Neon when everyone had come through the doors. She knew from the whispers that no one expected much of Class 1A to pass, much less the entire group.

As soon as everyone returned their equipment, the first exam came to a close and Mera had turned on the big screen at the center of the wall. The examinees had watched as the field outside, the field they had just left, was suddenly demolished in an instant. Their task was revealed to be a rescue exercise as bystanders in the newly formed disaster site.

"But... bystanders usually refer to ordinary citizens," Momo said.

"We will assume that those of you who have passed the first test have received your provisional licenses and test how well you can carry out suitable rescue procedures," Mera informed over the intercom.

"Wait! There are actual people there," Shoji gasped as they watched hundreds of people, from the elderly to children, disperse through the various destroyed terrains.

"These are people who have undergone training to be professional people-in-need-of-rescue," Mera explained, "And are in high demand now. 'Help Us Company' or HUC for short! They are dressed up as civilians and are on standby throughout the disaster site."

"Wow...Hero work really fuels the job market, huh?" Neon muttered.

"So pro heroes can also influence the strength of the economy?! That's amazing," Tenya breathed next to her.

"We will now have you all carry out their rescue," Mera said, "In addition, you will score your rescue based on points and if you have more points than the benchmark at the end of the exercises, then you pass. We will start in 10 minutes so please use the restroom and take care of any other necessary business right now."

The examinees dispersed from the monitors as they rushed around trying to prepare either individually or by schools. Some of Class 1A headed for the bathroom but Neon stayed put with some of her classmates.

"Do you think…" Tenya murmured and Midoriya started to nod.

"That this is based on the events of Camino Ward?" Midoriya finished.

"Yeah…" Tenya said, "Back then, we were focused on getting Bakugou far away from the villains and staying out of the way of the pros. There were many casualties in the midst of all that. What do you think we should do, Neon-san?"

"Give me a bit of time...I need to remember what I read about standard rescuing procedures. There were so many books about it from your brother's library, I need to go through it all to remember all the important stuff," Neon said.

"Go through it all?" Midoriya asked.

"Yeah," Neon said. She snapped her fingers, bubbling her head to drown out the noise. She closed her eyes, folded her arms over her chest, and started to mumble under her breath everything she remembered starting from page one of the first book she could think of. Usually, facts would come to her when she needed it to, like a question on a test, but given the circumstances, this is something that she shouldn't do on the fly. This rescue operation had to be done as a class, or at least with multiple people, so planning was an absolute necessity...And they couldn't plan if they didn't have all the facts.

"Oooh. What's Nagano doing? Is that some sort of meditation?" Yoarashi laughed as he approached the class with the rest of the Shiketsu students that passed.

"She's preparing for the upcoming exam," Tenya said as he stepped in front of her just in case anybody tried to interfere.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt!" Yoarashi yelled and he bowed to them.

"It's fine. You did not know," Tenya said with a chop of his hands.

"Wow," Kirishima whistled, "Between Yoarashi's clear cut bowing and Iida's hand gestures, it's like watching two robots trying to communicate." He looked over at Bakugo to see if he reacted to the joke but then Kirishima's smile fell when he saw the serious look on his friend's face. He followed Bakugo's eyes and saw that the Shiketsu student covered entirely in ashy blonde hair was walking right up to them with Yoarashi and a female student.

"Bakugo…" the hairy guy said, "Did you see Shishikura, the guy whose eyes look like slits?"

"Ah. I knocked him out," Bakugo stated.

"That's what I thought," the hairy guy sighed, "I think he probably acted rudely. He must have caused offense. He has the tendency to impose his own values on others. He probably couldn't help himself after seeing you, since you're pretty famous. I would like to build a good relationship with UA. I apologize on his behalf."

"A good relationship?" Mineta asked skeptically.

"A good relationship?" Todoroki murmured to himself. He clenched his fists to his side and he took a step forward. If the school truly meant what they said, then this interaction will either confirm or deny it, "You...The loud guy with the shaved head."

Yoarashi slowly turned in his direction, while the rest of his school kept on walking.

"Did I do something to you?" Todoroki asked coolly.

"Oh?" Yoarashi looked down at him from the tip of his nose. His facial expression hardened more and more with each passing second and then he sniffed. "Well, I'm sorry, Endeavor's son...but I hate you. You've changed a bit since back then, but your eyes are the same as Endeavor's."

Todoroki's eyes widened. Whatever he expected from Yoarashi to say, he could've never expected that and it left him speechless.

"Oy...Yoarashi…"

"Eh?"

Todoroki and Yoarashi turned their heeds to see Neon step out from behind Tenya. Her bubble was gone but for how long, they could not tell.

"Endeavor's son'..My mom's daughter..." she said, "If you're just focusing on who our parents are then maybe Todoroki's eyes aren't the problem here."

"Speaking up for him again?" Yoarashi sighed to Neon.

Todoroki blinked. "Again?"

"Yoarashi! Something wrong?" the hairy guy called out to him as his class headed off.

Immediately, Yoarashi turned on his heels. "Nothing, sir!" he called out with a grin on his face. He rushed to rejoin his school.

"Ahem...I'm not sure what just happened but...Midoriya-kun?" Tenya said as he adjusted his glasses and cleared his throat, "Why is that female student from Shiketsu waving at you?"

"Huh?" Midoriya, Todoroki, and Neon turned to see the female student with dark round eyes and pouty lips smiling at Midoriya and waving her gloved hand at him.

"See ya," she sang out, which made Midoriya jump up in surprise.

"R-Right!" he blurted out.

"What do you mean by that 'right'?!" Denki seethed as he and Mineta stormed towards him.

"You sexual maniac," Mineta spouted with disdain.

"Who?! Midoriya?!" Neon asked incredulously and she shared a confused look with Tenya. Then she turned to Ochaco, who no longer had her usually bright and cheery attitude. "Ochaco?"

The gravity user jumped a foot in the air. "Ah! Neon! You startled me," she gasped.

Neon raised an eyebrow. "Guys like Midoriya don't go for girls like her," Neon muttered under breath.

"Excuse me?" Ochaco asked.

"I'm just saying...Look at Midoriya," Neon said as she nudged Ochaco with her elbow, "He looks more like an antelope scared of getting eaten up by a lion. That girl is too aggressive for him. Don't you think?"

"Eh?" Ochaco asked.

Neon sighed and decided to let it go. "We should cheer him up and get him prepared for the test."

"Yes, the test," Tenya said as he turned to Neon, "Did you finish preparing or did the students from Shiketsu interrupt you?"

"Sound barrier, remember? I didn't hear anything anyone else said. I finished just as Yoarashi was talking," Neon said, "And good thing I did. That guy...Reducing people to their lineage. He should go judge a dog show."

"Eh? You didn't seem to mind when he talked about your mother," Jiro pointed out, which made Todoroki's ears perk up ever so slightly.

"We were talking about my mother...He wasn't comparing me to her. That was different."

Todoroki gritted his teeth. Neon had never spoken to him about her mother so how did Yaoroshi do that already?

 _Brrriiiing!_

"Villains have begun a large-scale terrorist attack! This is occurring in the urban areas," Mera voice called out as the screen flicked on to show the different disaster zones and alarms started blaring around them, "Due to buildings collapsing, there are many injured."

The ground shook beneath their feet as the walls around them unfolded once more.

"This opens up too?!" Kirishima exclaimed.

"Due to heavily damaged roads, the first group of rescue workers has been delayed," Mera continued, "Until they arrive the heroes in the area will lead the rescue efforts. Save as many lives as you can. Well, then.."

 _BRIIIING!_

"START!"

The class took off with Tenya leading the way towards the nearest collapsed building.

"Saving lives! That is the greatest ambition of a hero!" Tenya shouted as he pumped his fist in the air.

Neon glanced over her shoulder and saw that Noisy Boy, Kirishima, and Denki were once more separating from the group and she let out an exasperated sigh as she regrouped mentally. At least, Todoroki stayed with the class this time.

"Even if this is just an exercise, this is pretty crazy," Tsu commented as she ran alongside Neon.

"What's the plan?" Ojiro asked as he raced past them.

"Shut up and let me scan for signs of life!" Neon snapped, "Jiro! Shoji! You guys too"

"Ah!" they said and it didn't take long for them to hear the cries of someone nearby.

They ran through the devastated city streets, wary of any falling debris or weakening foundations, and found a boy in a blue cap, kneeling in the ruins and crying at the top of his lungs.

"H-HEEELP!" he shrieked.

"There! He's over there!" Midoriya shouted

"My grandpa! He's been crushed!" the boy screamed.

"What? This is b-"

 _Whack!,_ Neon slammed her hand over Midoriya's mouth as she crouched in front of the victim.

"Hello, little...boy…" she said as the person looked up, revealing a rounded face of a middle-aged man, covered in fake blood and dressed to appear as a young child, "We'll get you out of here and take a look at your head. Some of my friends here will look for your grandpa, okay? Can you walk? You were breathing a little heavily. Are you hurt anywhere else besides your head?"

The man looked at her skeptically and then to Midoriya. "Good save…" he muttered, "I would've deducted points if you let him finish his sentence...and you caught my breathing pattern too."

"I thought so," Neon said as she looked to her classmates, "The proctor never said how they were going to score us so I had a feeling it would be the HUC people. Iida-kun and Shoji, take him to the nearest first aid station. I'm sure the other schools are setting up an area as we speak. If not, communicate with the other schools and create one. It's best to keep our efforts efficient on a mass scale. Little boy, what was your grandpa wearing? Do you know his name?"

Immediately, the HUC personnel went back to his crying boy state. "Grandpa is grandpa!" he wailed, "And...and I can't remember what he was wearing...But...But he was right behind me when the building fell!"

"Okay. We'll take a look. Just go with him, okay?" Neon said as Shoji took the victim.

"I'll go too," Momo volunteered, "Since we might be setting up a base, I'll create some basic medical supplies and first aid kits we can use there."

"I'll help," Tsu and Aoyama said as the group took off with Shoji scanning for a first aid location.

"Th-thanks, Neon," Midoriya sighed, "You saved me from getting points deducted."

"No matter what, always act calm, cool, and collected in front of the injured...especially little kids" Neon said, "Causing any additional panic or alarm will not help things."

"Amazing...It's not just remembering what is written in the textbooks…," Midoriya murmured to himself but stood just close enough for Neon to hear, "Neon can use her experience with being kidnapped and rescuing Akia to understand the urgency of action and what is needed in a rescue situation and when-"

"That's enough out of you," Neon said as she lightly shoved Midoriya to get him to stop.

"Ah! Sorry!" Midoriya gasped.

"What else needs to be done?" Mina asked.

"Besides having a secure location and retrieving any victims, we need to secure and section off any dangerous areas," Neon said, "We'll need to work in smaller groups. Each group needs to have someone who can break or secure any dangerous sections, someone with a calming presence to talk to the civilians, and someone who can locate civilians and wherever Iida-kun has set up base."

"Yosh!" her class shouted.

"Do not touch or approach any civilians until you can secure the area around them," Neon warned, "And also confirm their injuries before you touch them. If they can scream and shout, those are good signs since it means their lungs and heart are intact."

"What if they're not?!" Ochaco shrieked.

"I doubt that would be the case here…" Neon admitted, "I...hope at least…"

The class sprang into action, dividing themselves into smaller groups.

"Little bird friends!" Kota called up to the sky while Jiro squatted down and jabbed her earphone jack into the ground, "Please help us find any civilians around this area!"

Neon broke off into a group with Sato, Hagakure, and Tokoyami. They managed to retrieve and take a married couple with fake broken limbs to the first aid base. They were in the middle of bringing back an elderly woman with an alleged strained back when explosions fired off in every direction.

 _Bam! Bam! Bam!_

"Ah! What is happening?!" Hagakure shrieked.

"Villains have appeared and started their pursuit. Hero candidates at the scene should continue their rescue efforts while also suppressing the villains," Mera called out.

"Continue rescue efforts while fighting?" Tokoyami asked, "The provisional license does not come easy."

 _Rescue and a fight...They really are preparing us for another Camino Ward incident._

Neon looked to the woman in Sato's arms, who had a knowing smirk on her face, and Neon sucked in a breath. "This does not change anything. We are still going to help you, Granny, and keep you safe. Sato and Hagakure! Get her as far away from the explosions as possible. Tokoyami...You and I need to go help evacuate the first aid area! "

"Yosh!"

Suddenly, an ear-piercing sound stabbed through Neon's head. She crumpled to the ground and covered her ears.

"NEON!" Hagakure shouted.

 _Snap!_

A bubble formed around her head and Neon shakily got up to her feet. She looked towards the direction of the sound just as a building collapsed in that direction. "Someone...someone is using a high-frequency sound as an attack…"

 _Snap! Snap! Snap! Snap!_

Sound bubbles formed around her group's heads as well as the elderly women and Neon motioned for them to keep running as they split up. Then she waved to Tokoyami to carry on. She bubbled up her hands.

"Alright...Let's go!" Neon shouted to herself as she rocketed through the air towards the first aid site, where Midoriya and Ojiro already were with a few other hero hopefuls and a dozen or so civilians that were yet to be moved.

"Neon!" Midoriya shouted when she landed, "Look out behind you!"

 _Pop!_

"What did you say?" Neon asked as her bubble broke.

 _BAM!_

Neon whirled around just as a huge ice wall emerged behind her, blocking off a blow from a large Orca man in a suit.

"Todoroki?!" Neon gasped, "And...Gang Orca?!"

"That's the villain!" Ojiro said as he hoisted an old man on his back, "Hurry! We have to get these people to safety."

"R-Right!" Neon said as she hurriedly pointed a finger to her throat. "All civilians, who are still in the first aid area, say your name if you can!"

"Eh?" The HUC civilians asked.

"Say it!" Neon shouted before regaining her composure, "Please...So that I can bring you to safety."

"Botan."

"Emiyo."

"Sakuko."

 _Snap! Snap! Snap! Snap! Snap! Snap! Snap! Snap!_

With every name that was spoken, a bubble formed around the person and when Neon lifted her hands, she had ten civilians up in the air.

"I'll carry these guys to safety," Neon said.

"Leave them to us," MIdoriya said, "Everyone is heading towards the river. I assume that's the safest place."

"Okay. Here...just in case whatever that sound guy is doing happens again," Neon said as she bubbled up her hands and the heads of those around her. Before any of them could ask any questions, she flew off towards the river, taking along the civilians. When she set them down to safety with the rest of the injured, a blast of fire shot up to the sky near the first aid grounds.

 _What the hell, Todoroki?!_

Before Neon realized what she was doing, her hands were already bubbled and she was flying back to the first aid area where the fire dissipated along with a strong gust of wind. The sinking feeling that had formed in her stomach got heavier as she approached the scene with Midoriya, Tokoyami, and Ojiro running beneath her along with the rest of the civilians they were protecting.

"We're good now, Neon! Come back! There's no need to-" Midoriya started to shout but Neon was already gone.

 _Please let this hunch be wrong...Please…_

"What the hell does that have to do with me?!"

"You...You with the same cold and angry eyes...You and your father are the only two heroes I will not recognize!"

 _Dear God, no!_

Neon gritted her teeth as she closed in on the two shouting first years. She was fully prepared to tear both of them a new one until she saw both of them strike an attack at Gang Orca simultaneously.

 _Fwoom!_

The currents of both forces split them in two, sending fiery winds in opposite directions, away from their target. One towards the boy Neon recognized as the cocky Shindo and one towards...

"NEON?!" Todoroki gasped as Neon rolled out of the way and avoided being burnt to a crisp.

"Look what you did!" Yoarashi shouted, "Neon, are you okay?!"

"Don't call her that" Todoroki snapped.

Neon ignored both of them and she got to her feet. She was just about to run out but Midoriya appeared out of the air and grabbed Shindo.

"What are you two doing?!" Midoriya roared, "Get your head in the game!"

"Thank god…" Neon breathed as she got to her feet and dusted the debris and pebbles off of her suit.

Her hot and cold classmate stared at her. He was floored by his careless mistake and he couldn't figure out who was more to blame for it. That arrogant wind guy, who kept throwing Todoroki's old man in his face and who has no boundaries when it came to befriending others…Or himself for caring in the first place. He thought he had made great progress when it came to his old man but maybe it was still far from good...And...as for Neon...As for her...

"What...What are you doing here?!" Todoroki heard himself yell.

"I'm trying to pass this test. What about you?" Neon snapped back.

"I don't need you to help me."

"Yeah, you seem to be doing a great job fighting-" Neon started to say and then quickly snapped her fingers.

 _Snap! Snap!_

Two bubbles formed - one around Yoarashi and another one around both Neon and Todoroki's - just as Gang Orca let out an ultrasonic beam towards the wind user.

"That guy," Neon finished.

"Shoot the bubbles! It's protecting them from boss' Quirk!" the henchmen shouted as they fired their guns, unloading globs of cement.

 _Bam!_

A wall of ice formed in front of Neon as Todoroki blocked their attacks.

"Neon…" Todoroki asked softly, keeping his eyes on the wall in front of him, "Why are you here?"

"I saw your flames and I got worried," Neon admitted.

"About me or about that windy idiot?" Todoroki blurted out and Neon raised a brow.

She was too wary of their predicament and the test to spend any energy on dissecting the personal situation between her and Todoroki. It was easier to tell the truth instead of analyzing it. "Oy...Cool Hair."

Todoroki felt his throat tighten and when he looked her way, he saw that she had her middle finger up and directed at him.

"I give a fuck about you, alright?"

Todoroki's lips twitched up but he stifled it, unable to let himself smile yet, but on the inside, he felt a weight roll off his entire existence and his lungs expand as if it had been constricted this entire time. "Ah…" he said as he turned his attention back to the wall, "Alright."

"Now let's finish this already," Neon said.

"...Ah."


	38. Sounds Like a Punishment

**Ch 38 - Sounds Like a Punishment**

"Congratulations, by the way."

Neon looked up from staring at her new Provisional Hero License and blinked at Todoroki, who was sitting across from her at the dining table in their common room. They were back from the exams and were settling in for the night.

"I didn't get a chance to say that to you guys...At the exam," Todoroki continued.

Tenya, who sat next to Neon, jutted out a hand. "Soon, Todoroki-kun, you will be able to catch up to us. It is as Proctor Mera stated. The ones who passed the first part but failed the second part will still be able to procure their license in April after partaking in another examination."

"Yes," Todoroki said and then turned to look only at Neon, "I...want to apologize to you as well."

Neon blinked. "Why me?"

"I'm relieved that my lack of composure didn't drag you down but I am sorry that I put you in that position. You must've gotten points deducted for getting involved with me and Yoarashi's fight."

"News flash, Cool Hair," Neon said, "Even if I did fail, that would've been on me. Not you. It was my choice to get involved. Let's just both learn from our mistakes and make sure something like this doesn't happen again."

Todoroki looked at her for a moment and then gave a small nod. "Thanks."

"Come to think of it," Tenya said with a rub of his chin, "You never told us how you scored, Neon-san."

Neon shrugged. "Doesn't matter. I passed, didn't I?"

"But you just said that one needs to learn from their mistakes. That is why they gave us our exam results so that we know in what aspects of ourselves we need to improve on! For instance, I, for one, would need to improve on how to apply my knowledge practically and act with more haste instead of dawdling and pondering all my options."

Neno shrugged again. "I need to work on my attitude and delivery. Apparently, I wasn't friendly enough and can come off as abrasive."

"Did you get points deducted because of me?" Todoroki asked quietly.

Neon frowned at him. "Like I said, I got points deducted because of _me._ I —"

"Oy. Meet me out front later. Let's have a talk about your Quirk."

Neon raised an eyebrow but did not turn in her seat at Noisy Boy's low growl. She didn't need to hear Midoriya's gasp to know that Noisy Boy's demand wasn't towards her. She had noticed there was a change in the his demeanor ever since they got back from the exams. If she really thought about it, she had noticed something was a little off about Bakugo even before then...Since Camino Ward.

He wasn't as noisy as before. Maybe to others, it didn't seem like it but since Neon was so sensitive to sound and very wary of the decibels he usually hit, the change was noticeable to her. There was an unsettling stillness to him that strangely made him seem more volatile to Neon, like they were just in the eye of a storm and trouble still lay ahead.

"You what?" Tenya asked, not noticing what was going on behind them.

Neon blinked and then returned her attention to the present. "I think we should call it a night. It's been a long day and classes are starting back up tomorrow."

"Ah. Yes. You are right!" Tenya said. He got to his feet and after insisting on Momo, his fellow class rep, in helping him, directed everyone back to their rooms for them to get some rest as well.

As they climbed the stairs to return to their rooms, Neont felt a hand grab her arm and pull her back. Tenya, who was at the bottom of the steps, gave her and Todoroki a curious look but pushed everyone else along, giving them a moment alone.

"I need to know your score," Todoroki stated slowly, "It's not to punish myself. It's so that I know exactly how much trouble I had caused. I need to know the extent of my mistakes. So...could you please tell me?"

Neon sighed. "Very well. I got a 55. 5 points deducted because of my attitude and demeanor. 20 points for unexpectedly leaving civilians at a new location without a reasonable or reassuring explanation. 20 points for retrieving civilians without checking their surroundings to make sure it was safe to extract them."

Todoroki squared his shoulders and braced himself. "20 points for the last two categories seem excessive. I remember Sato said he had done something similar and he was only deducted 6 points for that."

"It's 2 points for each civilian," Neon said, "I bubbled 10 civilians in a hurry, flew them to the river, and then I left."

"...To get to me," Todoroki stated.

Neon said nothing but she looked him in the eyes and nodded.

"Yaoyorozu...She scored a 94," Todoroki said. Sensing Neon's confusion at his statement, he continued, "If it wasn't for me, you would've scored higher than her."

Neon shrugged again. "Well, I'm not here to prove I'm better than anyone. Don't beat yourself up too much about this. I don't want to be the source of any regret."

"You're not," Todoroki said quickly, "This will serve as a motivation for me. I will use it and catch up to you in no time."

Neon snorted and headed back up the stairs. "Again, I'm not competing. You can take the top spot for all I care."

"What kind of hero do you want to be? If not the top?" Todoroki asked, following behind her, "Are you not aiming to be the next Symbol of Peace? Or have you resorted it to that spot being taken by Midoriya?"

Neon foot slipped and for the second time that night, Todoroki grabbed her by the arm and pulled her to him. "Th-thanks," Neon stammered as she regained her balance, "And...what makes you say Midoriya?"

"Something All Might said that night at Camino Ward…" Todoroki said and then he left it at that. He knew he didn't have to say anymore to her. His hand was still on her arm and they stood still as statues in the middle of the stairs. Both of them waiting for the other to give in.

Finally, Todoroki released his hold and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "It's like what that Mera guy said at the end. With All Might now retiring, some villains are going to come out and take advantage of it. We're in uneasy times until we have the next Symbol of Peace."

"Is that the hero you want to be?" Neon asked, "The next Symbol of Peace?"

"If...I said yes, would you laugh at me?" Todoroki asked, "And call me a Fan Boy like you do sometimes with Midoriya?"

"No, I wouldn't," Neon chuckled, "Because you don't have the limited edition All Might pajama set with matching slippers...Or...do you?"

She raised an eyebrow and Todoroki let out a short and soft laugh.

"No. I don't."

"Then I would never call you Fan Boy," Neon said, "So...is that the type of hero you want to be?"

Todoroki nodded. "I want to make people feel safe and reassured…I want to be a beacon of hope and goodness...Like All Might."

Neon took a moment to consider his words. "I think you'll be able to do that," she said and then smirked, "Unless you form a hero agency with Yaoroshi."

Todoroki grimaced. "That guy…"

Neon blinked. "Oh...Hey. I never asked you...What happened at the exams anyways?"

"At the entrance exams or…?"

"The one we just had. What did he say to provoke you?"

Todoroki drew in a breath. "Actually, I was the one that lost my temper. I was the one that started it."

"Bullshit."

Todoroki blinked.

"You are cool as ice most of the time and you are not the type to be easily baited," Neon said, "So what did he say to make you angry? Was it all that Endeavor crap again?"

Todoroki didn't respond. He was taken aback by Neon once again. One second she was saying how everyone should just focus and take responsibility for their own actions and now she was jumping to his defense and taking his side without hesitation. She took his silence for agreement and she scowled.

"That guy...God. I have no ties to Endeavor and even I'm annoyed at how much Yoarashi brings it up in front of you."

"Well...the next time I see him," Todoroki said and the corner of his lips lifted upwards into a smile, "I'll just pass on your advice and tell him to not give a fuck."

Neon laughed. "I doubt he'll listen."

"What did he say about your mother anyways? Did he know her?"

The smile on Neon's face faded and it caused Todoroki's good humor to do the same.

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring it up. If you don't want to talk about it —"

"No," Neon said, "Actually, he was a fan of hers. My mother was a concert pianist...A very good one. We were talking about the last Christmas concert she had in the Tokyo Dome."

"Oh…" Todoroki looked at Neon, whose expression turned wistful and happy at the same time. He didn't know what to say or do. He wasn't sure if she wanted comfort or if she wanted anything from him at all.

"Neon-san! Todoroki-kun!" Tenya marched down the stairs towards them and he pushed his glasses up his nose. He was already changed into his striped sleep shirt that reached just below his knees with a matching sleeping hat perched on his head, "Everyone has gotten ready for bed. I hope you two have finished discussing the exams. As Class Rep, I must insist that you two turn in for the night as well. We do not want to be late or tired for the start of our second semester!"

"Don't forget who's the RA here," Neon said but headed back up the stairs once more. "It's okay, Iida-kun. Todoroki and I are done talking. Night, guys."

When Neon returned to her bedroom but she didn't go to bed, nor did she change into her pajamas. She slid open her terrace door and stood outside with her arms crossed and her ears opened.

After about an hour, she heard it. The front door to their dorm opened ever so slightly and someone walked softly outside. Neon peered her head over the ledge of her terrace and she frowned down at Noisy Boy, who returned her expression by at least a thousand times but said nothing.

"Training Ground Beta," Neon said.

Noisy Boy blinked.

"It's far enough so that any sounds from there won't reach the dorms," she continued, "Whatever beef you have with Midoriya needs to be squashed, grilled, and eaten by the end of tonight. I don't care how you two settle it but you have one hour. Understand? If you two are not back here in one hour, I'll go to Sensei myself."

The night was so still and quiet she didn't have to raise her voice above a whisper for Bakugo to hear her. His scowl lessoned and he gave a nod. The door opened again and this time Midoriya stepped out. When he looked up at what Bakugo was glaring at, he almost fell onto the pavement.

"N-Ne-Neon," he stammered.

"One hour starts now," was all Neon said to Noisy Boy and then went back into her room, leaving the door to her terrace open. She sat at her desk, staring at her phone watching the minutes change. After an hour, she pulled up her contacts and called up at the name at the top of the list. "Sorry to disturb you this late, Sensei…But this is important."

When she was done with her call, she stretched her arms out to the ceiling. Her work was done. She could finally rest now. She went to her bathroom and was in the middle of brushing her teeth when her phone rang. She almost swallowed a mouthful of foamy toothpaste when she saw who was calling.

"Downstairs. _Now_!" came the monotonous but stern voice of her homeroom teacher.

Half an hour later, she found herself sitting sullenly in the infirmary room of their dorm watching her homeroom teacher bind her two scratched and bruised classmates with his high tech scarf.

"To fight the night you finish the preliminary hero licensing exam…" Eraser Head said darkly, "I'm glad you two are so energetic."

"Aizawa, please wait!" All Might protested from the corner of the room, "Please release the restraints. I'm the cause. It's...it's why Young Nagano felt the need to contact me."

The vein along Eraser Head's temple began to throb. "Cause? Of what?"

Midoriya and Bakugo stiffened even more in their seats. Neon crossed her arms and frowned while the two teachers whispered to each other. Either they had forgotten that she could hear them because of her Quirk or they were whispering only so that the boys wouldn't hear them. Apparently, Noisy Boy felt responsible for All Might's retirement and had all this pent up frustration and feelings. In the end, it was too much for his inferiority complex and he took it out on Midoriya, who was the only person who could understand and accept his feelings.

"It was because I didn't realize and was negligent in his mental care. It was a fight brought about by the failure of adults," All Might explained to Aizawa.

Their homeroom teacher took a long moment to contemplate his next move. Then he loosened his bindings. "Fine, so they had no choice but to break the rules as there was no other outlet," he said, "But I will not just let this slide. I will give a suitable punishment. Who hit first?!"

Noisy Boy scoffed. "I did."

"But," Midoriya said with his head hung in shame, "I also went in pretty hard."

"Very well!" Eraser Head shouted, jabbing his finger at each of them as he doled out his punishment, "Four days of house arrest for Bakugo! Three days for Midoriya! During that time, you will clean all the common areas in the dorm, morning and night. I also want a written apology from all three of you. The boys for fighting and Nagano for shirking her duties as the RA and pushing it to All Might. Bakugou! Midoriya! Neither of you are allowed to go to the infirmary and let the old lady heal you. Whatever injuries you have inflicted on each other will be healed naturally! Take responsibility for your actions and reflect upon it! And Nagano…"

Neon found herself having to gulp before being able to speak. She did not like the crude smile that suddenly stretched across her homeroom teacher's face. "Yes, Sensei?"

"Go to my desk tomorrow mornign and wait for me there. You are not to step foot in the classroom for the next three days. I'm putting you under Desk Arrest."

"What's Desk Arrest?" Neon asked and could tell by All MIght's puzzled expression that this was a new terminology for him too.

The grin on Eraser Head seemed to grow even more sinister. "You shall see tomorrow. Okay. That's it. Now go to sleep!"

It didn't take long for Neon to understand the meaning behind her homeroom teacher's grin. She had experienced many horrific situations in her life. She had been kidnapped and locked up in an abandoned warehouse with a burlap sack over her head and rats to keep her company. She had been stuffed in the trunk of a car and driven for hours and hours on very bumpy roads. If not for these experiences, she would've compared Desk Arrest to hell. However, it was fairly close to it.

"W-What?!" Neon choked out when she was forced to sit right at her homeroom teacher's desk with a wall of stacked folders in front of her.

"I know you don't need me to repeat myself, Nagano," Aizawa said stonily and placed a hand on the top of one rather tall stack.

"You just don't want to read through everyone's break assignments!" Neon replied accusingly, "You're pushing your responsibilities on me!"

"Yes. Just like you did last night," Aizawa replied with a lazy yawn and then started to unfurl his sleeping bag, "You pushed your responsibility of looking after your classmates to me so it is only logical for me to return the favor. I don't expect you to finish but with three days, you should be able to at least get through half."

"There has to be more than one class worth of assignments here!"

"Well-spotted. I told the other first year teachers and they were happy to share their workload as well."

 _Thwack._

As if on cue, Midnight dropped off her own pile of assignments and smiled gleefully at Neon. "Thank you, Nagano-chan!"

"That keen observation skill, Nagano," Aizawa continued before Neon could protest, "...is what is going to help you get through these quickly."

"But I —"

"Oh, before I forget," Aizawa said, "Open the top drawer and put them on."

"Eh?" Neon hesitantly did as her homeroom teacher said and she was completely at a loss when she saw a pair of thick, noise cancelling headphones. She picked them up and raised an eyebrow at her teacher.

"There's a school-wide assembly later today but since you are on Desk Arrest, you will not be privy to the information we will be sharing. Put those on and play your music so you don't hear any of it...and there's no point in getting the details later from the rest of the class. I'll be instructing them not to divulge any school-related information to you, Midoriya, and Bakugou until the end of your suspensions," Aizawa replied, "Understood?"

Neon scowled but fitted the headphones over her head. "Yes, Sensei."


	39. Sounds Like Honesty

**Ch 39 - Sounds Like Honesty**

 _Five more minutes...Just five more minutes…_

Neon's feet tapped anxiously on the floor while she finished marking one paper and then placed it face down on a pile that she had to stretch her arm to the fullest to get to. A quick glance at the clock on the side confirmed her guess. She had mere minutes left until she was free from this punishment.

 _Yes! Almost over!_

She returned her attention to the stack of unchecked homework and attacked them with a red pen in hand and a restored vigor in her spirit. The loud instrumental music from her headphones drowned out the squeaking of the felt tip pressing unnecessarily hard against the paper.

 _Nope. Got the year wrong. What? You think_ that's _why he's historically significant? Geez! They covered this at the start of the semester, idiot! Strength Man wasn't the first Hero ever. There were many of them but they were all unchecked and unregistered. Strength Man was the first Hero to register with the government, thus making him the first Pro-Hero and he spearheaded the foundation of the Pro-Hero training and development system we have today. God! Go reread pages 10-22 in your textbook, you moron!_

When that paper had more red ink than black, Neon added it to the finished pile and grinned victoriously at the clock.

"Yes! 3:30pm! School's over. I'm done!" she yelled, leaping out of her chair and punching the air. She flung her headphones off and tossed them haphazardly onto the desk.

"Wait."

Like a splash of cold water, her homeroom teacher's ominous command made her heart stop cold and washed away her excitement. She turned slowly and hesitantly, as if in fear of what she would see nestled in that damn yellow sleeping bag in the corner of the office. To her relief, Eraser Head looked quite human and calm but to her confusion, he wasn't looking at her. Instead, he was pointing a finger at the door.

"You have a visitor," he said and then burrowed back into his bedding.

"Kirishima?" Neon raised an eyebrow at her flame haired classmate. He was smiling sheepishly at her while holding a savagely marked paper in his hand.

"Yo. I wanted to talk to you about this art history paper you graded."

Neon sighed. This was not the first time a student had come to her with complaints about her unyielding corrections. Thankfully, it was the last. However, it still stung a bit that the person complaining was someone from her own class. "I only marked it up. The teachers give the final grade so if you want it changed you should —"

"No. It's not that. I'm asking for your help and explain this stuff to me."

"Huh?" Neon asked incredulously, "I'm just about to go back to the dorms. Can't it wait until then?"

"I...didn't want to discuss it with everyone around," Kirishima said, his cheeks reddening at the thought, "I know no one thinks of me as a smart guy but I also don't want to be seen as the bottom of the class."

Neon groaned and tried a last ditch effort to claim her freedom. "I mean, if it's Modern Hero Art History, why don't you ask Midnight Sensei? She's right over there."

Neon glanced over her shoulder and then glared at the dark haired teacher, who smiled brazenly at her with nothing on her desk. "I'm completely swamped, Nagano-chan," Midnight sang out, "Go help out Kirishima-kun for me."

"Actually...I'm specifically asking for your help, Neon, because of this…"

Kirishima held up the paper and tapped a lengthy paragraph written along the edges in red ink. Neon squinted her eyes and tried to decipher her own handwriting. She was suddenly very aware of how much she had written on a straightforward multiple choice quiz.

"1) _You are mistaking Rhodes for Roberts, you idiot. Rhodes was the one who took photos of Heroes in action and Roberts painted abstract art inspired by Heroes' gear. Rhodes was a woman and All Might's first magazine cover was photographed by her! Rhodes is covered in chapter 4 and Roberts is covered in Chapter 2. Two completely different eras!"_

Neon winced when she finished reading just the first point of her nine point tirade of things he got wrong. "Okay. I may have taken out some of my frustration on these assignments. I didn't mean to go so overboard. I —"

"No, you were right! I _was_ mistaking Rhodes for Roberts," Kirishima said, "But...I didn't realize it until you wrote it out. It was very helpful...and...and I was wondering if there was anything else you noticed that I was messing up on. Not just in Modern Hero Art History." "

Neon rubbed her hand over her eyes. "I mean…"

"If you don't remember, that's fine too. I wanted to ask just in case," Kirishima said with a grin, "I could use any help I could get in class. I'm pretty hopeless when it comes to studying."

"No, you're not hopeless. There's just some concepts you don't have a great grasp on," Neon sighed as she sat back down in Eraser Head's chair and started to rifle through the piles she had created, "I actually did notice a couple of things...Not just from you, but from everyone else too."

"Eh?"

"Here...," Neon said as she continued her hunt, "Let's start with English. You have a tendency to mix-up future tenses with future continuous tenses."

Kirishima wrinkled his nose. "What?"

"Exactly," Neon said and motioned her hand towards All MIght's empty chair, "Pull it up and I'll go over everything with you."

When the bell rang at 5 pm, signalling the end of after school activities, Neon had gone over Math, English, and was just getting into Modern Literature with Kirishima. Both of them looked up in surprise.

"Oh. It's 5, already?" Kirishima asked as he got to his feet, "Man. I didn't mean to keep you here this long, Neon. Sorry. You're probably itching to get away from this place, right?"

"Ugh. You have no idea," Neon chuckled, "I can't believe I'm actually looking forward to going back to class tomorrow."

"Oh, yeah! You're going to hear about Work Study tomorrow and —"

"Yes. 'Tomorrow' being the operative word, Kirishima," Aizawa said dryly as he got out from his sleeping bag and to his feet, "Okay. School is now closed for the day. Go back to the dorms, Kirishima. I'd like a few words with Nagano."

Neon sank even deeper into the chair with her head hung low. "What now?"

"Hang in there!" Kirishima whispered as he gathered his things and then he was gone.

"What more do you want, Sensei?" Neon demanded, "An arm? A leg? My blood? My soul?! A lifetime of servitude?"

"I didn't take you one for dramatics," Aizawa said dryly, "But if you are offering…"

Neon's head shot up. She was almost sure that he was joking but now, she was not sure of anything when it came to her homeroom teacher any more.

"Relax, Nagano," he said as he took the seat where Kirishima had just vacated, "I actually just wanted to ask you if you knew why I punished you along with Midoriya and Bakugou?"

"Because you didn't want to grade any papers?" Neon guessed, "Because you were annoyed from being bothered in the middle of the night?"

Aizawa folded his arms over his chest and made himself comfortable in the seat. "Those were factors, I'll admit...But more importantly, because I noticed something during the licensing exam. Something I think you need to really work on."

Neon rolled her eyes. "I read the results, Sensei. I already know I have to work on my attitude and as for ditching those guys to check on Todoroki, I —"

"No. I wasn't talking about that," Aizawa said.

"Then what are you talking about?!"

"You showed leadership during the exams. Not only that, you were teaching your classmates as you went along. You showed understanding of not just the material but of the people around you. You showed a deep understanding of your classmates' characters and abilities...Which you decided not to use when Bakugou and Midoriya fought."

Neon scowled. "No, I let them go _because_ I knew what kind of people they were. You think Noisy Boy could get talked down by words? This rivalry, or whatever it is, between Midoriya and him has gone on for so long. Just because I've known them for mere months doesn't mean I can stop them."

"Did you even try?" Aizawa asked.

When Neon didn't immediately answer, her teacher continued.

"I didn't punish you because you didn't tell them to stop. I punished you because you didn't try. It is only logical with your upbringing that you are hesitant to get involved in other people's lives but you need to stop keeping everyone at arm's length, especially those you care about. Hero work is not only dangerous but it can also be very lonely. As your teacher, I will do my best to prepare you for that but I am telling you those people that you eat and study with now will be your light in the very dark days ahead. Open up to them and let them have a chance to understand you as much as you understand them."

He let his words settle in Neon's ear and into her heart and then he stood up. "That's all I have to say. You can leave now."

"Sensei…" Neon said softly as she got to her feet and headed for the door, "Did you make me grade all those papers so that I can help everyone like I just did with Kirishima?"

"No," Aizawa said with a loud yawn, "That was just a fortunate result. I was pretty beat and just wanted some time to rest. Now go. I'll see you tomorrow morning."

"YOW! Does that mean I'm the light in your life now, Eraser Head?!" Neon heard Present Mic cackle as she closed the door behind her, not waiting to hear what was definitely going to be a biting and sarcastic response. She had a lot on her mind.

Neon's walk back to the dorm was slow and heavy. Even when she stepped through the door and saw her classmates, she was still at a loss at her teacher's instructions. Did she really keep them at arm's length? She had thought this whole time she was being straightforward and direct with them. Was that not enough?

"Oy! Neon, you're back. Look, how dusty this windowsill is. Bakugo should clean harder, right?" Sero laughed as he and Mineta swept their fingers along the ridges of the window.

"Shut up, you assholes! I was just getting to that part! Go away and let me finish up!" Bakugo barked back from across the hall with a rag and bucket in hand.

Sero and Mineta laughed and went back to checking the different nooks and crannies of the foyer, not noticing Neon pass by them without a word or even reaction to their greeting. Her non-response, however, was clocked by another group,

"Neon, is everything okay?" Ochaco asked.

Neon gave a shrug as she walked over to them. Ochaco, Midoriya, Todoroki, Tenya, and Tsu were sitting around the couches with some books and bags of snacks spread across the coffee table.

"Neon-san, I thought you'd be in a more exuberant spirit now that you are returning to class tomorrow," Tenya said with a thoughtful frown.

"What happened?" Todoroki asked.

"Did Aizawa Sensei extend your Desk Arrest?!" Midoriya gasped.

"God no!" Neon shouted, clutching her heart. That idea alone shocked her back to her senses. "Nothing as awful as that. Actually, since you guys are here...I've got something to ask you guys."

She made her way around the couch and took the empty seat next to Midoriya, which happened to be directly across from Tenya. Out of instinct, Neon's eyes darted around the room, tagging all the exit locations and potential eavesdroppers. When she realized what she was doing, she winced. Aizawa Sensei was right. She was still acting like she was a target, even when she was amongst friends. People she knew without a shadow of a doubt would never hurt her intentionally.

She looked at the Class Rep. This question was important for him to answer, especially. "Is...there anything about me you want to know but have been hesitant to ask?"

"Eh?" the group asked.

Neon immediately felt uncomfortable and she folded her arms across her chest, sinking into the couch. "Forget it. Aizawa Sensei said something weird. Ignore it. It's nothing."

"Actually, Neon…" Ochaco said quietly, "There's a lot of things I've wanted to ask you but you don't seem to like talking about yourself so I didn't think I should ask."

Tsu nodded. "It is clear that you are, by nature, a very private person."

Neon contemplated these words and then gave a slow nod. "I see. Even you, Iida-kun? Tell me honestly."

Tenya pushed up his glasses and then gave a firm and solid nod. "Indeed, Neon-san. Although I have a strong understanding of your character, there are still some things I would like your clarification on."

"Same," Midoriya admitted.

Todoroki leaned forward in his seat. "I know you are comfortable now to tell me things if I just asked but I wanted you to tell me in your own time. With that said, I do wish I knew as much about you as you do with me."

"Okay…" Neon sat up straighter and spread her arms across the back of the couch, as if opening herself up to a firing squad, "Ask me anything. I'll answer it. Don't hold back."

" _Gerro_...Even me?" Tsu asked.

Neon nodded. "Yes. I trust you."

"Really?" Ochaco gasped and clapped her hands together, "Okay! Oh! Where do I start?"

Neon's brows raised to the top of her forehead. "How many questions do you have?" The sounds of paper flipping rapidly made Neon look Midoriya's way and her jaw dropped as he pulled out a notebook labeled "Hero Notes and Observations". "Seriously?! You too, Midoriya?"

They spent a long time that night shooting questions at her, which mostly consisted about her childhood and upbringing. She told them everything including the protocols, defense classes, and media training she had to go through for her own protection. Tenya's questions were mostly directed at what happened to her throughout middle school. He wasn't too thrilled to learn she was skipping school to go to concerts, amusement parks, and other public gatherings. Todoroki wasn't either.

"Wasn't that dangerous though? There was still a chance you would be kidnapped, right?" Todoroki asked.

"And I did get kidnapped a couple of times from it," Neon said and the group let out a gasp.

"What?!"

Neon shrugged. "I mean, clearly since I'm here, I survived. It was worth the risk. I didn't want Akia to grow up not knowing what the world was like outside our gates."

Neon forced herself to be completely honest and vulnerable, even going to the lengths of admitting to them of Akia's Quirk. It felt like the hardest and scariest thing she ever had to do but when she did it, she knew she did the right thing with the right people just by their reactions alone.

"So that's why you're so protective of her," Ochaco whispered.

"And that explains why she's so carefully guarded," MIdoriya mumbled, "It must be so hard on her."

At the same time that night, she learned about their lives too. Tsu had a younger sister, for example. She and Neon actually shared a laugh on how mischievous their sisters could get.

By the time they called it a night and went to bed, Neon felt a big weight had rolled off her shoulders. It was something she knew she was carrying but didn't realize just how heavy it was until it was gone.

 _So this is what it's like to confide in people,_ she thought to herself as she laid back on her pillow.


	40. Sounds Like the Big Three

**Ch 40 - Sounds Like The Big Three**

Neon, like the rest of the class, shifted forward in her seat to get a better look at the three upperclassmen entering the classroom. Aizawa Sensei had wasted no time and kicked her first day back with the introduction of Work Study. It was supposed to be a different experience than their internships and the top three students of UA were here to explain why.

The first guy, leading the way, was a tall, bulky blonde with a jovial expression on his face. He had marched in with almost too much force and effort, like he was overplaying a bit in a school play. Behind him was a very pretty girl with long, pale violet hair. She only came up to the first guy's shoulder and she, too, had a friendly smile. The last student, however, trudged in with his head lowered and his shoulders slouched. He either lacked confidence or just didn't want to be there. Because his face was hidden, Neon couldn't tell which one it was.

"These three stand at the top of all the students at UA, which means they are the closest to becoming a Pro-Hero. They are also known as the Big Three," Aizawa Sensei stated, "So let's get the introductions out of the way. Let's start with Amajiki."

The gloomy guy suddenly lifted his head and glared so intensely at the room that everybody jumped in their seats. Did they do something wrong? Did their presence anger him in some way? The guy started to shake.

"It..it's no good," Neon heard him mumble faintly, "Mirio...Hado-san...I tried to imagine them as potatoes but everything other than their heads remained human. I still can't see...I can't see them anything as human. What should I do? I can't...say...anything..."

"Huh?!" Neon gasped. She had read him all wrong. He was...just SHY?!

He spun around and faced the blackboard.

"EH?!" the class exclaimed.

"Erm...You _are_ the top of U.A.'s hero course, right?" Ojiro asked in the politist way he could muster.

"Good to know public speaking isn't a criteria to be considered," Neon muttered just loud enough for Todoroki to hear.

The female student let out a bright laugh. "Hehe! Amajiki-kun, you are just a shrinking violet, even though you're a human. So funny. Sorry, guys. This is the violet, Amajiki-kun. I'm Hado Nejire. We were asked to talk to you guys about work studies. Thank you for having us today...But wait…"

She walked over to Shoji and leaned over his desk so that they were almost nose to nose. "Hey, hey. Why are you wearing a mask? Are you sick? Or is it to look cool?"

"Well...that is…" Shoji started to say but Hado's attention was already somewhere else, "Eh?! You must be Todoroki-kun, right? RIGHT?! Hey! How did you get burned right there?"

Todoroki blinked. "That's —"

"What the hell is this, Sensei? One's too quiet. One's too noisy. Is this a Goldilocks situation?!" Neon asked, jumping to her feet and then pointed an accusing finger at the last guy. "You better introduce yourself normally and succinctly. Stop wasting our time. I'm already 3 days behind on knowing things."

"Sit down, Nagano," her homeroom teacher commanded but then he turned his attention to the blonde upperclassmen as well, "Do you think you are all conducting yourselves rationally here?"

The blonde started to sweat but he kept a smile on his face. He jutted out a thumb and then flexed his arm. "Don't you worry, Aizawa Sensei. I'm going to wrap things up."

He grinned at the class. "The future is going to be…" he called out and then cupped his ears, eagerly waiting for a response.

The silence was uncomfortable and awkward. Neon wanted to bang her head on her desk. She couldn't figure out whether the school was a complete failure for considering these three as their top or a complete success for somehow managing to teach these clowns.

"Grim!" the blonde finished and gave a big laugh, "That's what you were s'pposed to say, right? Ahahaha. I guess my attempt for a call-and-response failed miserably. It's okay. I can understand. We're third years, who are here to explain Work Study - something that isn't even required for you to do in your first year. It's all very sudden and confusing, right? I mean...you guys are still first years...and are pretty energetic...but we're not really getting through to you guys...so…Hrmm...What should we do?"

"Did they not even plan what they were going to say?" Neon shouted, not even bothering to keep her doubts to herself any more.

"I know! Why don't you all fight me at once?!" the blonde cried out, stopping the homeroom teacher from yelling something on his head to Neon. The blonde turned to the teacher, "That seems the most logical thing to do, right? To show them our experience firsthand? How about it, Eraser Head?"

Neon did not know what possessed their teacher to agree to it but he did. Soon Class 1-A found themselves in their gym uniforms and preparing for battle inside Gym Gamma.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Todoroki asked as Neon leaned up against the wall between him and Aizawa, taking her place as a spectator.

"You guys know how I feel about this kind of stuff. Fighting for the hell of it is not my thing. You? Shouldn't you be out there to see how'd you fare against one of the school's top guys?"

"Not one," their homeroom teacher interrupted, " _The_ top guy of our school. Watch closely, you two. Togata Mirio...As far as I know, he's the man closest to becoming number one...and that includes the pros."

"What?" Neon and Todoroki gasped.

"Ready? Here I come!" Midoriya's voice echoed through the gym as he sprinted forward with his fist drawn but Togata was unfazed. In fact, he was so confident, that his clothes dropped completely off and stood before them fully naked.

Horrified screams erupted from the class. Neon was just about to turn and yell but Aizawa swiftly clamped his hands on Neon's head, one at the top and one under her chin, and forced her to keep her eyes forward. "Pay attention, Nagano."

Forty-five seconds. That's all it took for Togata Mirio to flatten the class. If she had blinked, she would've missed it but everything was happening one after another that she didn't even remember to breathe.

"What did you see?" Aizawa asked quietly, releasing his hold on her. The rest of the class struggled to their feet and collect themselves. Some were clutching their stomachs, some had shaky legs, but all of them had a queasy look on their faces.

"He vanished and he warped to the other side of the room," Neon said slowly.

"No," Todoroki said. He crossed his arms and lowered his head, "He went through the floor and came back out on the other side...Just like how his clothes went through him at the very beginning. This guy's Quirk...He can move through solid objects?"

Neon tilted her head. "Even with that, the Quirk alone wasn't what took everyone down. He was fast...He got to them and attacked before they could even move."

"Ah," Todoroki agreed with a nod, "He took out the long distance attackers first...and saved the face-to-face combatters for last. He was smart."

"HIs Quirk was only just an enhancer to his power. His true strength came from his own physical and mental abilities."

Aizawa let out a grunt of approval at Todoroki and Neon's conclusion.

"Ehhh?! You two are pretty smart," Hado exclaimed brightly as she skipped over to them, "How come you guys didn't participate? Is it because Todoroki-kun didn't get his license? But oh! Nagano-chan, you did, right? So how come you didn't participate?"

"Hado-san, Mirio is starting to speak to the rest of the class now…" Neon heard Amajiki mutter from the corner of the gym. Considering Hado was still looking expectantly at her, Neon could only conclude that the female third year either couldn't hear him or developed a habit of ignoring him.

Neon only shrugged in response while Todoroki remained silent. That did not deter her, however. "You guys sort of guessed what Mirio-kun's Quirk was but do you want me to tell you what it is? Do you? It's Permeation!"

"Eh? Permeation?"

Hado had declared it so loudly that it rang through the room and the entire class' interest was now piqued.

Mirio smiled and jutted a thumb to himself. "That's right. My Quirk's Permeation. What you guys guessed as a warp was an application of that."

He went on to explain the mechanics and pitfalls of his Quirk. It was clear that the third year did not make the top from a naturally powerful Quirk. Instead, he had taken a lot of time and effort to practice and finesse his Quirk's utility.

" _...Take advantage of everything your Quirk has to offer. Explore every component and utilize it. Be flexible."_

Edgeshot's voice repeated in her head and the gears in Neon's head started to churn. In her internship, she had learned more about her Quirk but that was mostly all she did. She was nowhere near the level of where Mirio was in Quirk application but like she and Todoroki had discussed earlier, his strength wasn't just in his Quirk. It was merely a boost to his other abilities. It was what he learned through his hard work...It was experience.

Neon raised her hand. Mirio stopped mid-sentence of his explanation and aimed his beaming smile at her. "Ah! Do we have a question?"

"You moved like you already knew what everyone was going to do. That's not something you could do with just your Quirk. Have you handled fighting this many people all at once during your work study?"

Neon couldn't believe his smile could get any brighter but it did. He tapped his forehead furiously. "That's right. Predictions! I had to learn how to think quickly before my opponents. Above all, I had to be able to predict what would happen. What made these predictions possible was experience! I built my predictions on what I knew. This might seem like a roundabout way but I wanted to fight you all to show you rather than explain through words. When you're in work study, you are not treated as an observer or an intern. You are treated as a one of the sidekicks and as a pro. That's really scary. Pros will sometimes end up watching someone die…but those scary and painful things you'll go through, all of them are first-rate experiences you wouldn't be able to have at school. I changed the experience I got during my work study into power and took the top spot. That's why I think it's something you should do even if you're scared, first years!"

The class went back to the dorm that day with excitement over the prospect of their work study. Their homeroom teacher warned them that the school had not yet decided officially if they were actually going to proceed with it though. There was a chance that work study won't even happen for the first years since despite getting their license, they had been through a lot of incidents already. Having something bad happen to them again would not bode well for the school.

Still, Neon did not hesitate to dial her phone as soon as she was alone in her room.

 _Brrr. Brrr. Click!_

"You've got the wrong number."

'You can't say that if I haven't even identified myself yet, Shishou," Neon snapped.

"I know who you are," came the low and steady voice of Edgeshot, "I just know that it must be a mistake for you to call me. I have no business with you."

"Yet."

Neon could practically hear his eyebrow raise. "Meaning?"

"I got my Provisional Hero License and there's a chance UA is going to allow us first years to participate in work studies."

"First years for work study?" Edgeshot repeated and he let out a disapproving sound from his throat.

Neon started to get nervous and she licked her lips. "So I was thinking maybe I could do my work study with you and —"

"No."

Neon felt like the bottom dropped out from under her feet. She had been so busy thinking about what her training with Edgeshot would be like that when it resumed she didn't even think about the likelihood of it happening. "No?" she whispered.

"Work study is completely different from an internship. A work study with me would be the same as a junior sidekick and they will be handling actual cases with me. What makes you think I'm going to take on a snot-nosed brat like you for something like that? You aren't ready. You don't have enough experience."

"Well, I can't gain experience if you won't let me _experience_ anything," Neon shot back.

"Have I taught you nothing?" Edgeshot replied without missing a beat.

Neon groaned. "Why can't you be more straightforward and just tell me your point?"

When she was met with silence, she let out a sigh of defeat. She was not going to win this one. "No...you did not teach me nothing. You taught me the importance of understanding my Quirk."

"What else?"

"And...to be flexible."

"Ah. So what does that mean in this case?"

"It means…" Neon had a harder time answering this one. He wanted her to be flexible but he also wanted her to gain experience. So how did those two fit together? Neon drew in a breath, "You want me to be flexible in how I'm gaining the experience."

"Ah," Edgeshot grunted, "If you only work with one hero your whole career, you will only learn a certain way of doing things. I am only an one-man operation. It would be better if you took a work study from a hero agency with multiple sidekicks and maybe even other work study students to learn from. I've pushed you in one direction and the work study would be a chance for you to work in another."

"I see." Neon bit her lip. It made sense but it was still a hard pill to swallow.

" _If_ UA does proceed with work studies," Edgeshot said, "I can recommend you to a few hero agencies."

"Really?"

"Ah. I don't want you to sign up to a shoddy agency and pick up some bad habits after all the painstaking effort I put in during your internship. Don't want you unraveling all of my hard work."

" _Your_ hardwork? I distinctly remember spending more than half of my internship alone in your abandoned office."

"Do you want to work with me in the future or not?"

Neon bit her tongue. "Okay. I learned a lot from you. I'll admit that."

"Good. Text me when you actually get an approval from your school and I'll send you a list of recommendations. Until then, don't bother me again."

 _Click._


End file.
